Course 8, lesson 78 of 100, Ages 11+
AI and the planet
Energy, water and smarter choices
Like I’m 5
AI runs on big computers that use lots of electricity and water for cooling. Using AI wisely helps look after our planet.
The big idea
Training a large model can use as much electricity as many homes use in a year, and data centres use water to stay cool. Every chatbot question uses a little energy too, which adds up across billions of questions.
AI also helps the planet: predicting wind and solar power, cutting energy waste in buildings and tracking deforestation from satellites. Companies can reduce impact with efficient chips, smaller models and clean energy.
Examples
- Data centres: Huge buildings full of computers that need power and cooling.
- Helping: AI forecasts solar output so grids use more clean energy.
- Smaller models: A small model on your phone uses less energy than a giant one.
How it works
- Notice that AI uses electricity and water.
- Choose efficient tools and avoid wasteful use.
- Support uses of AI that help the environment.
Check your understanding
- Why do data centres use water?
- Options: To keep the computers cool; To wash the screens; To make tea.
Answer: To keep the computers cool. Cooling stops the computers from overheating. - How can AI help the environment?
- Options: By predicting clean energy and cutting waste; By using more energy; It can't help at all.
Answer: By predicting clean energy and cutting waste. Smart predictions help use clean energy better.
Remember
AI uses real energy and water, but it can also help protect the planet.
Talk about it
When is using AI worth the energy, and when isn't it?
Go deeper
Researchers estimate model carbon footprints from hardware power, training time and the electricity mix. Techniques like distillation, quantisation and efficient architectures reduce compute per task.