With the support of our patron Capgemini, the École normale supérieure, the ENS Foundation, and the AI and Society Institute have established a Global Observatory this February to analyze the environmental impacts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at all stages of its life cycle (training, fine-tuning, inference, and end-of-life), as well as their mitigation. This observatory aims to develop a robust and shared methodology to promote sustainable AI usage practices.
This observatory aims to provide solutions to a major challenge in the development of artificial intelligence in the coming years: how to reconcile the use of this technology with sustainable development goals.
Indeed, a recent article by Capgemini’s R&D teams shows that large generative AI models consume 4,600 times more energy than traditional models and that, in the highest scenario, AI-related electricity usage could increase by a factor of 24.4 by 2030.
“Today, companies are looking for efficiency gains, yet very large AI models not only have a significant environmental footprint but also higher costs,” says Étienne Grass, Executive Director of Capgemini Invent France. “To harness the power of this technology responsibly, it is essential to establish clear and transparent methodologies and to work with all stakeholders in the AI value chain.”
The observatory thus aims to bring together a multi-stakeholder community of international experts (academia, businesses, and civil society) and will contribute to:
- Establishing a robust and shared methodology to measure the environmental impact of AI technologies;
- Creating a global, open-access database where AI developers and researchers can contribute data on the environmental performance of their models, fostering transparency and collaboration between industries and the research community;
- Promoting sustainable AI practices;
- Providing strategic analyses and disseminating knowledge;
- Bringing together key stakeholders.
The École normale supérieure is at the forefront of AI research and education in France, and has been reflecting for several years on AI serving the public interest. “At ENS-PSL, we firmly believe that research and action are inseparable in order to create a positive impact on our societies,” explains Anne Bouverot, President of the Board of Directors of ENS-PSL.