AI chips are having an impact on the environment
The use of artificial intelligence, or AI technology, is increasing rapidly around the world. However, the environmental organization Greenpeace has expressed concern about the impact it is having on the environment.
A recent study by the organization has shown that carbon emissions from the production of semiconductors used to make AI chips have increased fourfold by 2024.
Greenpeace stated that major tech companies like Nvidia depend on manufacturers such as TSMC and SK Hynix for chip and memory production.
This production activity is mainly taking place in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. These regions still rely heavily on fossil fuels for electricity generation. As a result, carbon emissions have naturally increased.
The organization’s report also said that by 2030, global electricity demand could increase by up to 170 times due to AI technology. If this trend continues, it could undermine global efforts to reduce carbon emissions, the agency warned.
Unfortunately, East Asia is increasingly relying on fossil fuels rather than switching to renewables. South Korea recently announced plans to build a four-gigawatt gas-fired power plant.
Taiwan is expanding its LNG projects and national grid to meet the power demands of AI.
Meanwhile, a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) found that AI-related data centers in the United States could more than double its electricity demand by 2030.
In that year, electricity used for data processing in the U.S. could surpass the total consumption of heavy industries like aluminum, steel, cement, and chemicals.
According to the IEA, by 2030, global data centers could use about 945 terawatt hours of electricity a year, more than Japan’s total electricity consumption. For comparison, that’s 30 times the electricity consumption of Ireland.
Advocates of AI believe it can help lower electricity demand in the future by improving batteries and solar technology. Although this is still just a possibility—not a certainty.
