The environmental applications for artificial intelligence are broadening. According to the recent PwC study, AI levers could reduce worldwide greenhouse gas emissions by 4% in 2030 – an amount equivalent to the 2030 annual emissions of Australia, Canada and Japan combined.Yet, when talking about intangible tech, the sustainability aspects related to the technology development are often forgotten.

Artificial intelligence is a classic example of this.Training AI involves deep learning, which takes massive computer power and thus lots of energy. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, have recently performed a life cycle assessment for training several common large AI models. They found that the process can emit more than 284 tones of carbon dioxide equivalent—nearly five times the lifetime emissions of the average American car. And that includes manufacture of the car itself.

At the next Energy Talk we will discuss the controversial role of AI. Is it possible to have the savior for climate with a terrible carbon footprint?

Agenda:

15:30 Panel Discussion “The controversial role of AI in the energy transition.”

16.10 Q&As

About the speakers:

Dr. Juan Bernabé-Moreno, Chief Data Officer at E.ON

Dr. Juan Bernabé-Moreno heads the global data and analytics team at E.ON since 2017. Prior to that he led data science and engineering teams at product Data Lab for Telefónica Digital and web intelligence team for Telefónica Germany.

Juan Moreno holds a M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from the University of Granada and is actively involved in research activities. He is visiting Research Fellow for Responsible AI in Oxford University and Visiting Research Fellow for Applied AI in University of Granada. His current research interests include fuzzy linguistic modeling, aggregation of information, information retrieval, bibliometric, recommender systems and social media, interlink between Quantum Computing and AI and AI ethics.

Ewald Hesse, Co-Founder & CEO Grid Singularity

Ewald Hesse leads the Grid Singularity venture, rooted in the founder’s extensive experience in the energy sector and acute interest in distributed business models. He also serves on the Energy Web Foundation Council, and the advisory board of several startups and Scytale Ventures. Hesse previously worked as regional director for business development and strategy in Southeast Europe at Andritz Hydro. Earlier, he explored technology transfer and joint ventures in China and European automobile sector at Metzler and ABB.

Vanessa Miler-Fels, Director Energy Innovation and Impact at Microsoft

Vanessa is part of Microsoft Corporate Environmental Sustainability team, reports to Microsoft Chief environmental Officer and serves as Director of Energy Innovation and Impact. Focus is on energy across the company : energy strategy, product innovation to accelerate the energy transition, scope 3 decarbonization, energy efficient AI. Before this position, between 2016 and 2019, she was in charge of greening data center energy consumption and procured over 2 GW of renewables. Before joining Microsoft, worked at a green-infrastructure private equity fund based in London and at the French Ministry of Finance, leading chapters of the UNFCCC negotiations. French and Indian, from Paris-Pondicherry, hold a master in international affairs from Sciences-Po Paris, a MBA from ESCP and am a graduate of the Ecole Nationale d'Administration.

Theodoros Evgeniou, Professor of Decision Sciences and Technology Management at INSEAD

Theodoros Evgeniou is a Professor at INSEAD. He has been working on Machine Learning and AI for more than 20 years (at MIT before INSEAD, from where he also received four degrees), focusing on the broader topic of AI, business and society, on areas ranging from AI and regulation to AI innovations for business process optimisation and improving decisions as well as on new Machine Learning methods. He is a member of the OECD Network of AI Experts, World Economic Forum Expert on AI governance and leadership, and Advisor at the BCG Henderson Institute. Professor Evgeniou gives talks and consults for a number of organisations