Issue 164: AI’s Appetite for Energy
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about artificial intelligence. – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
AI’s Appetite for Energy
Welcome to 2024! We hope that you had a restful holiday season and are looking forward to all the exciting developments that lay before us this year. On the heels of the historic COP28 climate conference in Dubai last year, energy will continue to be one of the most important stories in 2024. Energy consumption is about more than fossil fuels and renewables. It’s about where energy is used and how we manage our collective need for more energy. Our technologies require more and more energy that has to come from somewhere. Artificial intelligence is an example of this dynamic in practice.
Never-ending power needs. The platforms and data centers running artificial intelligence bots like ChatGPT require enormous energy to keep functioning. Artificial intelligence companies sometimes need as much power as large cities to operate. According to the Wall Street Journal, global electricity consumption for AI systems could soon require “adding the equivalent of a small country’s worth of power generation to our planet.” That’s a tall order at a time when most world leaders are looking for innovative ways to change how we create power in the first place.
The AI experiment: Our power needs will increase as we create new technologies like AI. Thus, if we can find a way to balance the need for power with the need for clean energy, this moment is a profound one for the future of humanity. It’s a chance to find real innovation. Microsoft is already working on a creative solution for the problem. The company is using its own AI to speed up the approval process for new nuclear power plants to power its AI. We expect more challenges and solutions like this one in 2024. It’s going to be a great year!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
– Marcus Aurelius
CHART OF THE WEEK
This week, we are thinking about streaming services. In the United States, consumers are abandoning streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. What will this mean for the future of online entertainment?
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
The future of digital culture: Writing in The National, Xische’s director of strategy, Mary Ames, addressed the question of digital culture. We’ve all experienced the power of technology, from Zoom calls to the ability to stream millions of hours of content during a crisis. We’ve also read about the myriad privacy issues surrounding platforms like Zoom. The challenge is striking the right balance between innovative technology and data privacy; the perfect time is now.
AI is a public good: Given the power and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to change the planet for the better, shouldn’t governments have a more significant role in safeguarding the technology? That’s the simple but complex question we investigated in this archived piece in Xische Reports. The development and use of AI technology are crucial for society, and it can’t be left to big tech giants alone. Moreover, the US government (and others like it) are missing an excellent opportunity to use AI for good across the public sector.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
The genetics behind being a morning person. Many of us strive to be a morning person, but our lives sometimes get in the way. New research suggests that people who are able to get up early on a regular basis might have Neanderthal DNA to thank. According to the Wall Street Journal, researchers now say they have found bits of genetic code passed down to some of us from Neanderthals that relate to our sleeping habits in the present day.
Move over Michelangelo. In the birthplace of Italian sculpture, a powerful automated robot is learning how to sculpt with surprising results. While we might be concerned and excited about automation, the Smithsonian Magazine covers how robots are being used for art. The robot proceeds from large-scale milling to detailed carving by selecting from increasingly fine-pointed instruments attached to its “arm.” While the robots can do most of the work, the final details are left to human sculptors. Technology is advancing at an incredible speed but can’t replicate human artisanship’s finest subtleties.
QUICK HITS
Are fish and chips at risk?
It is time for slow productivity.
It’s not the wheel, it’s the tire.
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