A Call to Action: Mitigating the Environmental Impact of AI

A group of over 100 organizations has published an open letter, calling on the AI industry and regulators to take immediate action to mitigate the tech’s harmful environmental impacts. The letter, signed by prominent advocacy groups such as Amnesty International and the AI Now Institute, notes that there is "increasing evidence" of AI systems driving up emissions, "locking in" reliance on non-renewables, and exhausting critical resources.

The Letter’s Demands

The letter, which was published just days before a major AI conference in Paris, lays out clear demands for the AI industry and governments. These demands include:

• Making AI infrastructure, including data centers, fossil fuels-free
• Ensuring that new data centers do not deplete water and land resources
• Maintaining transparency about AI’s environmental impacts throughout the "entire AI lifecycle"
• Prioritizing AI processes that contribute meaningfully to society while minimizing environmental and human harm

The Risks of Unchecked AI Expansion

The letter notes that the rush to build infrastructure to develop and run AI has strained electric grids to the breaking point, forcing some utilities to lean on environmentally unfriendly sources of power. The letter also cites data from the International Energy Agency, which estimates that global data center electricity consumption could double to over 1,000 terawatts by 2026, equivalent to Japan’s annual electricity use.

The Human Cost of Unchecked AI Expansion

The letter highlights the human cost of unchecked AI expansion, particularly for countries and communities most vulnerable to rapid climate change. These communities are first to be impacted by the harms of AI and its computational demands, and they have less say in its development.

A Call to Action from the US Government

Unfortunately, the US government has signaled that it intends to embrace growth at any cost. President Donald Trump has said that he will use an energy emergency declaration to quickly approve new power stations for AI data centers, including those that use coal for backup power. Trump has also promised to fast-track environmental approvals and other permits for any company making an investment of $1 billion or more domestically.

A New Era of Sustainability

The letter’s signatories assert that their demands "represent the bare minimum" needed to mitigate the ongoing harm from unchecked AI expansion. They call on governments and tech companies to prioritize AI processes that contribute meaningfully to society while minimizing environmental and human harm. This is a call to action that requires immediate attention and action from all stakeholders.