The climate and environmental footprint of AI

This lecture examines the interface between artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability, with a particular focus on the ecological footprint of AI systems. Fundamental concepts such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are explained before analyzing the direct resource consumption caused by computational load and data centers—including material requirements, water usage, and electronic waste.

The talk also addresses the indirect impacts of AI: on the one hand, positive effects such as advancements in material research, environmental protection, and the circular economy; on the other hand, negative consequences like rebound effects or uncontrolled digitalization. The event is hosted by Prof. Behnan Zakeri (Vienna University of Economics and Business) in cooperation with Lectures4Future, an interdisciplinary lecture series on the climate crisis and sustainable development.