AI will likely raise energy use and accelerate climate misinformation

AI will further hinder efforts to constrain the climate emergency by providing an easier way for people or organizations to disseminate false or misleading statements about climate science and the impacts of rising global temperatures, the Climate Action against Disinformation coalition’s report adds.

Claims that artificial intelligence will help solve the climate crisis are misguided, with the technology instead likely to cause rising energy use and turbocharge the spread of climate disinformation, a coalition of environmental groups has warned.

Advances in AI have been touted by big tech companies and the United Nations as a way to help ameliorate global heating via tools that help track deforestation, identify pollution leaks and track extreme weather events. AI is already being used to predict droughts in Africa and to measure changes to melting icebergs.