ENCORE: AI’s Power Demands: Do We Really Have the Energy for This?

Climate One

News, Social Sciences, News Commentary, Science, Earth Sciences

4.7 • 583 Ratings

🗓️ 25 July 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In a previous Climate One episode, we discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly impacts of artificial intelligence. But AI isn’t going away. Humans rarely give up a nifty new tool unless something better comes along. AI’s share of energy consumption is enormous, and the Department of Energy estimates that data center energy demands will double or even triple in just the next three years. Demand on fresh water is at least as big and isn’t talked about nearly enough. So, what can we do to reduce AI’s impact? Plenty of researchers have ideas — from site selection to energy efficiency to using zero-carbon sources of energy. But what will incentivize the AI corporations to take any of those actions? This episode was supported by Climate One Steward Noel Perry and Next 10. This episode was recorded in March and originally aired April 4, 2025. Episode Guests: KeShaun Pearson, Executive Director, Memphis Community Against Pollution Kate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer, Google Irina Raicu, Director of the Internet Ethics Program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University On July 31, Climate One is hosting Premal Shah and Kinari Webb for a live episode recording! With years of experience navigating the global climate movement, the two are sure to offer unparalleled insights during their conversation with Co-Host Greg Dalton. Tickets for the show, which will be held at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, are available now through our website. Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	AI is incredible. They can teach you how to fry an egg and even write a poem, pirate style.
0:07.0	But it knows nothing about your work. Slackbot is different. It doesn't just know the facts.
0:14.0	It knows your schedule. It can turn a brainstorm into a brief and it doesn't need to be taught.
0:20.0	Because Slackbot isn't just another AI.
0:23.3	It's AI that knows your work as well as you do. Visit Slack.com forward slash meet Slackbot to learn more.
0:30.9	This episode is brought to you by Vanta. Security and compliance done wrong is a headache.
0:36.1	Done right, you build trust and grow faster.
0:38.3	That's Vanta.
0:39.3	For startups, Vanta acts as your first security hire,
0:42.3	using AI to get you compliant fast.
0:45.3	For enterprises, it's your AI-powered hub for compliance,
0:48.3	risk and automating workflows.
0:50.3	From startups like Cursor to enterprises like Snowflake,
0:53.3	top companies choose Vanta.
0:55.2	Do security and compliance right.
0:57.1	Get started today at Vantar.com.
1:02.9	I'm Ariana Brocious.
1:04.4	I'm Cusha Navadar.
1:05.6	And this is Climate One.
1:16.8	Kusha, I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm somewhat of a slow adopter of technology. I had the same smartphone for about 10 years, and I only recently replaced it because nobody
1:22.0	would support the operating system anymore.
1:23.8	The phone still worked.
	...

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