EESI briefing: AI's role in climate policy

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change in federal policy-making.

• Main announcement/action: EESI convened a briefing that provided a foundational understanding of AI’s role in the climate and energy arena, highlighting trade-offs where AI can boost climate resilience and economic competitiveness while also increasing energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions, and water usage; speakers included Ahmed Aziz Ezzat and Fatima Ahmad, and speaker slides are available for download.
• Background and details: Panelists discussed the massive energy and water needs of data centers running AI algorithms and concrete AI applications such as precision agriculture, resilient grid infrastructure, and improved weather forecasting; the briefing noted the federal role in R&D at the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories and examined Congress’s role in aligning AI development and use with global emissions reduction and adaptation goals.