The carbon footprint of AI
Tech Life
BBC
4.4 • 221 Ratings
🗓️ 10 October 2023
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Researchers estimate that the AI industry could consume as much energy annually as a country the size of the Netherlands by 2027. We take a look at the details and ways of reducing electricity demand. Also, we talk to one of Africa's leading technology entrepreneurs about how he sees AI helping the continent and how workers can adapt to it. And how do you persuade an unwanted wildlife creature not to mess up your garden ? One man trained his home camera system to solve the problem.
(Photo: Electricity pylons. Credit: Igor Borisenko/Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:50.0 | podcasts. Welcome to TechLife from the BBC World Service with me, Alastair Keen. In this episode, we're looking at the carbon footprint of artificial intelligence. There's been huge interest over the past year in the capability of training computers to do things once only possible by humans. There's been advances in how we can use AI at home, as well as in the office. |
| 1:13.4 | But we don't always think about how much electricity that will use. |
| 1:17.8 | One expert has been attempting to calculate it, and the estimates are quite surprising. |
| 1:22.9 | The reason, well, it's all to do with this. |
| 1:28.8 | We'll explain what that sound is in a moment, |
| 1:32.3 | but that's not all. |
| 1:33.3 | I've also been talking to one of Africa's leading technology entrepreneurs |
| 1:36.7 | about how he sees AI helping the continent |
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