AI's Ambiguous Role: Southeast Asia Facing the Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence in Combating Climate Change
In a recent article published by Fulcrum, ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute's blogsite, the focus is on the growing importance of making AI development and usage more sustainable in Southeast Asia.
Google's 2024 Environmental Report revealed a 48% increase in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions compared to 2019 figures, largely due to increased energy consumption in its data centres. This increase underscores the need for careful consideration, as AI systems could inadvertently undermine the very climate goals they aim to achieve without proper management.
Southeast Asia is home to nearly 500 data centres of varying capacities, with Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia leading in total live capacity. Current efforts to make AI development and usage more sustainable in the region primarily focus on improving energy efficiency, adopting renewable energy, and innovating in cooling technologies for data centres.
For instance, Singapore's Digital Realty SIN11 data centre reduced power consumption by 29% using liquid cooling technology, setting a sustainability model that the region aims to replicate. Malaysia's Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS) and Indonesia's solar partnerships with companies like Amazon show a move toward greener energy sources for AI infrastructure.
The ASEAN promotes harmonizing AI policies and responsible innovation, which includes considerations of sustainability in digital infrastructure investment and development. However, the rapidly growing energy demand of AI systems and data centres poses risks to environmental sustainability if not properly managed.
AI training and inference contribute significantly to energy consumption globally, with data centres potentially using up to 20% of worldwide electricity by 2028. Water usage for cooling data centres and the accumulation of e-waste from computing hardware pose additional sustainability challenges. The expected accumulation of e-waste by 2030 could be as high as 16 million tons worldwide, emphasizing the necessity for regional management strategies in Southeast Asia to mitigate this issue.
Southeast Asia faces talent shortages, infrastructure limitations, and regulatory hurdles, which affect the scalability and sustainable integration of AI. To ensure progress from research to implementation with sustainability in mind, coordinated ecosystems like Singapore’s are crucial.
In conclusion, Southeast Asia is advancing models for sustainable AI infrastructure but must urgently scale these efforts to mitigate environmental impacts as digital transformation accelerates. The region's growing AI infrastructure will increase its environmental footprint, highlighting the need for sustainable practices. The collaboration between ASEAN and Japan aims to reduce environmental pollution and promote the collection, recovery, and recycling of critical minerals from e-waste in ASEAN through initiatives like the Asean-Japan Resource Circulation Partnerships on E-Waste and Critical Minerals (ARCPEC).
The rapid growth of AI is expected to exacerbate the e-waste challenge in ASEAN, but the potential rewards are significant. AI could raise Southeast Asia's GDP by 10 to 18%, or an additional US$1 trillion by 2030. AI is being used in Southeast Asia for weather forecasting, flood preparedness, and air quality monitoring, with its predictive power being touted as a strategic tool against the impact of global warming in the region.
Thailand is at the forefront of e-waste circularity through its promotion of the Right to Repair movement. Careful consideration is crucial to ensure AI's potential contributions to the climate crisis are accounted for in regulatory frameworks. The market size for AI in Southeast Asia is projected to reach US$8.9 billion this year, with an annual growth rate of over 27%. Key investors in Southeast Asia's AI sector include Apple, Google, Microsoft, and NVIDIA, who have collectively invested over US$30 billion in the first half of 2024.
The article is related to topics such as Carbon & Climate, Energy, Policy & Finance, Waste, and Water, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the challenges and opportunities presented by the growth of AI in Southeast Asia.
- The energy transition in Southeast Asia requires more sustainable AI development and usage, as showcased by Singapore's Digital Realty SIN11 data center reducing power consumption by 29% using liquid cooling technology.
- The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are relevant in this context, as AI could potentially contribute significantly to energy consumption and environmental challenges, such as e-waste accumulation.
- Climate tech innovations, like adopting renewable energy and improving energy efficiency in data centers, are essential for sustainable AI infrastructure in Southeast Asia.
- The circular economy approach is crucial for managing the e-waste challenge, with initiatives like the Asean-Japan Resource Circulation Partnerships on E-Waste and Critical Minerals (ARCPEC) aiming to collect, recover, and recycle critical minerals from e-waste in ASEAN.
- Science and environmental science play a vital role in understanding the environmental impacts of AI and developing sustainable practices in AI infrastructure.
- Technology, particularly in the field of climate-change, is identified as a strategic tool for addressing the impact of global warming in Southeast Asia, with its predictive power being utilized for weather forecasting, flood preparedness, and air quality monitoring.
