Can AI Be Sustainable? How ChatGPT consumes Water & Energy | Dr. Shaolei Ren

In this episode of The EcoMindset Podcast, host Alex Tyrrell explores the environmental impact of artificial intelligence, focusing on AI’s massive water and energy consumption. As AI adoption grows, so does its carbon footprint—but can technology also be part of the solution?
Joining the conversation:
🔹 Dr. Shaolei Ren, Associate Professor at the University of California, Riverside, and a leading researcher in sustainable computing, breaks down AI’s water and energy footprint, the role of data centers, and the hidden costs of AI technologies.Dr. Ren’s work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, the United Nations’ World Water Development Report, and major media outlets such as NPR’s Living on Earth.

🚨 This episode unpacks the growing debate on AI's sustainability, the policies needed to curb its environmental impact, and whether AI can ultimately become part of the climate solution.

🔗 Links and Resources
🔗 Follow your host, Alex Tyrrell: https://x.com/AlexTyrrellPVQ 
🔗 Follow Dr. Shaolei Ren: https://shaoleiren.github.io/
🌱 Learn more about the Green Party of Quebec: https://www.pvq.qc.ca/

Timestamps
⏱ 00:00 Introduction: The growing environmental concerns around AI
⏱ 01:15 Dr. Shaolei Ren on AI’s water & energy consumption
⏱ 04:10 How data centers cool AI models and why they consume so much water
⏱ 06:30 Waste heat recovery: A sustainable solution?
⏱ 10:10 Can AI models become more energy efficient?
⏱ 11:30 The role of government regulation in making AI more sustainable
⏱ 15:00 AI’s growing energy use: Is it worth the cost?
⏱ 16:40 How AI can help fight climate change (renewable energy, agriculture, air quality tracking)
⏱ 20:40 The future of AI in transportation: Self-driving cars & emissions
⏱ 24:00 AI’s energy use in perspective: A single ChatGPT response vs. everyday power consumption
⏱ 28:00 The risks of AI-generated misinformation and lack of regulation
⏱ 33:30 AI consciousness? Why AI is nowhere near human intelligence
⏱ 34:30 Final thoughts: Can AI truly be sustainable?

📢 Get involved: Share your thoughts in the comments. Should AI companies be required to report their environmental impact?

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Cet épisode de podcast est produit par le Parti Vert du Québec. Nous choisissons des invités dont le travail résonne avec les valeurs, la plateforme et l'idéologie du parti. La présence d'un invité sur le podcast n'implique pas un soutien partisan au Parti Vert du Québec. https://www.pvq.qc.ca/
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This podcast episode is produced by the Green Party of Quebec. We choose guests whose work resonates with the party's values, platform and ideology. A guest's appearance on the podcast does not imply partisan support for the Green Party of Quebec. https://www.pvq.qc.ca/