Tread carefully with AI trends

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is sounding the alarm on the environmental consequences of generative artificial intelligence (AI) trends, as the latest fad of being transformed into pocket-sized dolls and action figures gains momentum.

Despite the surge in doll figures appearing on social timelines, IET statistics reveal that a mere 16% of people are aware of the environmental toll associated with AI usage. Cooling the servers that power AI demands substantial water resources, with estimates indicating that ChatGPT consumes over one 500ml bottle of water per 100-word request*. Shockingly, nearly one-third of the population remains unaware of AI's water consumption, mistakenly believing that crafting a 100-word email requires no water.

Positively, 60% of respondents would reduce their usage if they became aware of the significant energy usage to run a request – but as AI trends continue to grow, more awareness is needed.

Professor Peter Bannister, Chair of the IET’s Sustainability and Net Zero Policy Centre, emphasized: “While AI creations can be entertaining, they come with significant environmental and financial costs, which will only escalate as AI adoption grows.

“To mitigate this impact, the public can take immediate steps, such as questioning the necessity of using these platforms. When you do use them, be precise with your prompts to minimise errors and avoid repeated requests – more requests mean more water. Remember, generative AI tools are not search engines; they are specialised tools that should be used wisely.

“We’re already aware of the benefits of recycling and conserving water by turning off taps when not in use. The next phase of consumer awareness involves being selective about the technology we use and optimising its efficiency.”

The IET is stressing how regulations should now look beyond the immediate challenges of AI development to the much broader impact it has on the environment. 

Peter added: “Current data centres are unsustainable without greener infrastructure, so we need to see government support for building sustainability into appropriate regulations. This could include a bronze, silver, gold standard for the approval of new data centres, based on a sustainability rating. Sustainable innovation is not a “nice to have” scenario – this must happen, and the UK can be the trailblazer in this.” 

To find out more about the IET’s work on AI, please visit: www.theiet.org/media/campaigns/what-the-iet-is-doing-around-ai.  

ENDS

Notes to Editors

*Source: Washington Post and University of California 

The survey was carried out online by Opinion Matters on behalf of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) from 20/11/2024 to 22/11/2024 amongst a panel resulting in 2,000 National Representative UK (aged 16+) responding.   

All research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines. Opinion Matters is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998). 

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