According to a report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the AI for the Planet Alliance, most climate and artificial intelligence (AI) leaders in the private and public sectors believe AI plays a critical role in mitigating climate change. However, significant technological hurdles must be overcome before the widespread application of sustainability-focused AI.
According to the analysis, 87 percent of more than 1,000 polled decision-makers believe AI is helpful for climate change mitigation and resiliency. However, only 40 percent of those leaders can envision employing AI in their firms’ sustainability activities.
Because of its ability to collect and analyze massive amounts of data on emissions and environmental implications, AI is easily applicable in complicated situations such as climate or carbon emissions analyses, according to BCG. According to Hamid Maher, BCG managing director and coauthor of the paper, this “means [AI] may assist stakeholders take a more educated and data-driven approach to combating carbon emissions and tackling climate concerns.”
Developing profoundly impactful AI sustainability initiatives, on the other hand, will demand support in research, financing, and education. “Existing AI-related climate change solutions today are usually fragmented, difficult to reach, and lack the resources to scale,” according to the research.
