• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • SCB YouTube
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
  • My Profile
  • LOGISTICS
    • Air Cargo
    • All Logistics
    • Express/Small Shipments
    • Facility Location Planning
    • Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
    • Global Gateways
    • Global Logistics
    • Last Mile Delivery
    • Logistics Outsourcing
    • LTL/Truckload Services
    • Ocean Transportation
    • Rail & Intermodal
    • Reverse Logistics
    • Service Parts Management
    • Transportation & Distribution
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • All Technology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud & On-Demand Systems
    • Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
    • ERP & Enterprise Systems
    • Forecasting & Demand Planning
    • Global Trade Management
    • Inventory Planning/ Optimization
    • Product Lifecycle Management
    • Sales & Operations Planning
    • SC Finance & Revenue Management
    • SC Planning & Optimization
    • Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
    • Supply Chain Visibility
    • Transportation Management
  • GENERAL SCM
    • Business Strategy Alignment
    • Education & Professional Development
    • Global Supply Chain Management
    • Global Trade & Economics
    • HR & Labor Management
    • Quality & Metrics
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • SC Security & Risk Mgmt
    • Supply Chains in Crisis
    • Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
  • WAREHOUSING
    • All Warehouse Services
    • Conveyors & Sortation
    • Lift Trucks & AGVs
    • Order Fulfillment
    • Packaging
    • RFID, Barcode, Mobility & Voice
    • Robotics
    • Warehouse Management Systems
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals & Energy
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • E-Commerce/Omni-Channel
    • Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • High-Tech/Electronics
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Pharmaceutical/Biotech
    • Retail
  • THINK TANK
  • WEBINARS
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Webinar Library
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WHITEPAPERS
Home » AI Could Dramatically Speed Up Environmental Action

AI Could Dramatically Speed Up Environmental Action

Oil pump
An oil pumping jack in an oil field in Kansas, U.S. Photo: Bloomberg.
July 28, 2021
Bloomberg

Technological solutions to climate change can be put into two categories. Vertical solutions that tackle pollution in one sector, say low-carbon fertilizers that help reduce emissions in agriculture. Or horizontal solutions that address issues across many different industries, say lithium-ion batteries that electrify cars but also better integrate renewables in the electricity mix.

Artificial intelligence is one such horizontal technology that has big potential to help cut plenty of planet-warming emissions. The list of problems AI can solve is long, and the number of startups using AI to solve some of those problems is longer still.

As with any new technology, there’s also a lot of hype. To cut through the noise, I spoke with Priya Donti of Carnegie Mellon University and David Rolnick of McGill University, two of the three co-chairs of the group Climate Change AI, which brings together academic and industry experts.

What exactly is AI?

“It’s a very broad term that basically covers any computational algorithm that can perform some kind of complex task,” Donti says. “Typically, tasks that humans can do like vision, speech, reasoning.”

There’s still a philosophical debate among AI researchers whether the goal of AI is to do things as well as a human — or achieve superhuman performance.

Machine learning is a type of AI application that is narrowly focused on drawing insights from large datasets. It’s probably what a human could have done, Donti says, but machine learning helps speed up the process.

How can AI help reduce emissions?

There are five broad ways to think about AI’s climate applications:

  1. Distilling data into actionable insights. For example, data analytics company Kayrros uses satellite images and machine learning to help spot methane leaks.
  2. Optimizing complicated systems. Fero Labs, based in the U.S. and Germany, uses machine learning to improve energy efficiency at cement, steel and chemical companies. WeaveGrid is helping electric grid operators better integrate electric-vehicle charging.
  3. Accelerating scientific discovery. The startup Aionics helps speed up the experiments needed to find a new battery material.
  4. Making climate simulations quicker. Researchers are using AI to cut the time needed to run big, complex models.
  5. Improving predictions. The startup Kettle uses neural networks to improve forecasts of wildfire risk.

Could AI help increase emissions?

Yes. “AI accelerates whatever you ask it to accelerate,” Rolnick says. That means there are applications of AI that can increase emissions, too.

The biggest tech companies provide AI solutions to oil and gas firms to optimize the exploration and production of fossil fuels. Algorithmic recommendation tools on retail platforms likely help increase consumption. And self-driving cars may end up substantially increasing the number of miles driven.

So it’s important that those deploying AI solutions find ways of ensuring that, wherever possible, there’s alignment with global climate goals.

What are other potential pitfalls?

The sheer interest in deploying AI means that its applications are set to explode, says Donti. A recent virtual Climate Change AI workshop drew 2,000 participants. Researchers submitted 300 proposals to put AI to use tackling global warming.

“The big mandate for the community is that, even though AI is a flashy technology, there are many situations when a less flashy solution might be the correct one,” she said. “It’s important to make sure that AI doesn’t end up serving as a diversion.”

The goal would be to make the use of AI as widespread as spreadsheets are today. But to really help fight climate change, users need to be skilled and aware of the technology’s potential and pitfalls, Rolnick says.

    RELATED CONTENT

    RELATED VIDEOS

    Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain) Technology Artificial Intelligence Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility Chemicals & Energy
    • Related Articles

      Most Supply Chains Are Not Ready for Due Diligence Compliance

    Bloomberg

    Italy Starts €1 Billion Sovereign Fund for Key Supply Chains

    More from this author

    Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter!

    Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.

    Popular Stories

    • A MEDLEY OF IMAGES OF GRAPHS AND CHARTS SUPER-IMPOSED OVER A HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL

      How Companies Can Avoid Competing Solely on Price

      Logistics
    • A RED AND WHITE FRITOS DELIVERY TRUCK IS PARKED IN THE LOADING ZONE OF A PARKING LOT NEXT TO AN ORANGE TRAFFIC CONE.

      Climate Change Threatens a World Without Doritos

      Global Supply Chain Management
    • Is-There-a-Right-to-Work-Remotely.jpg

      Watch: Is There a ‘Right’ to Work Remotely?

      HR & Labor Management
    • Managing-Supply-Chains-in-the-Face-of-Climate-Disaster.jpg

      Watch: Managing Supply Chains in the Face of Climate Disaster

      Regulation & Compliance
    • SYMBOLS OF TRADE AND RISK HOVER OVER TWO HANDS TYPING ON A KEYBOARD

      Navigating Supplier Risk Challenges to Shore Up Cyber Defenses

      Supply Chain Visibility

    Digital Edition

    Scb may 2023 lg

    2023 Supply Chain ESG Guide

    VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE

    Case Studies

    • JLL Finds Perfect Warehouse Location, Leading to $15M Grant for Startup

    • Robots Speed Fulfillment to Help Apparel Company Scale for Growth

    • New Revenue for Cloud-Based TMS that Embeds Orderful’s Modern EDI Platform

    • Convenience Store Client Maximizes Profit and Improves Customer Service

    • A Digitally Native Footwear Brand Finds Rapid Fulfillment

    Visit Our Sponsors

    Antuit Zebra Anvyl Brother
    Cleo Data Capture E2open
    Eva Air Enveyo GAINSystems
    Generix Geodis GEP
    GreyOrange Here Holman Logistics
    Infor Inmar Kinaxis
    Locus Robotics Logility LogistiVIEW
    Lucas Systems MCA Connect MPO
    Old Dominion OneRail Overhaul
    PartnerLinQ (Visionet) Port of Virginia Ryder E-commerce by Whiplash
    Saddle Creek Logistics SAP Shyft
    Sourcemap Tecsys TGW Systems
    Verusen Workshop
    • More From SCB
      • Featured Content
      • Video Library
      • Think Tank Blog
      • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
      • Whitepapers
      • On-Demand Webinars
      • Upcoming Webinars
    • Digital Offerings
      • Digital Issue
      • Subscribe
      • Manage Your Subscription
      • Newsletters
    • Resources
      • Events Calendar
      • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
      • Supplier Directory
      • Case Study Showcase
      • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
      • 100 Great Partners Form
    • SCB Corporate
      • Advertise on SCB.COM
      • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Contact Us
      • Data Sharing Opt-Out

    All content copyright ©2023 Keller International Publishing Corp All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Keller International Publishing Corp

    Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing