As artificial intelligence rapidly integrates into industries and daily life, a critical debate is intensifying over its environmental footprint. Industry leaders gathered recently to discuss whether the accelerating adoption of AI can truly align with sustainability goals, moving beyond the common focus on data center energy consumption.
At a panel discussion during BT India's Most Sustainable Companies Summit and Awards, experts acknowledged the undeniable presence of AI. However, they emphasized that the real challenge lies in ensuring the underlying infrastructure doesn't exact an unsustainable toll on energy, water, and natural resources.
Beyond Raw Consumption: Intelligent Infrastructure
Suruchi Bhadwal, Director of Earth Science and Climate Change at TERI, highlighted the essential nature of digital services, including AI, in modern society. She stressed that the focus must shift towards technologies and operational strategies that actively reduce energy and water consumption. "Digital services are the requirement of the day. Our data centres are required to run it and AI is part of it very much," Bhadwal noted, urging a collective effort to address these resource demands.
Rajesh Kumar Jha, Country Sustainability Manager at ABB India, echoed this sentiment, advocating for a more nuanced discussion. Jha argued against fixating solely on the sheer size of AI models or data centers. Instead, he proposed evaluating "data centre intelligence per megawatt or per kilowatt." He pointed to smarter grids, enhanced energy efficiency, advanced storage systems, and digitalization as crucial components for a more sustainable AI infrastructure.
AI as a Solution, Not Just a Problem
The conversation also explored AI's potential as a tool for sustainability. Namrata Rana, National Head ESG at KPMG in India, suggested viewing AI not as an adversary to environmental goals but as a partner. "I don't think it's AI versus sustainability. I think we need to view these together," Rana stated. She highlighted how AI applications could significantly reduce energy use across diverse sectors, including manufacturing, transport, and agriculture, potentially yielding a net positive climate benefit that outweighs the technology's own resource consumption.
Juhi Joshi, Partner at Climate Collective, reinforced the economic imperative of sustainability. She argued that framing sustainability purely as a moral choice limits its scalability. For true progress, sustainability must be approached from an economic standpoint, driven by innovation, emerging startups, and robust market incentives that foster cleaner AI infrastructure development.
The Path to Green AI: A Work in Progress
Despite the optimism surrounding technological advancements and innovative solutions, panelists identified significant gaps in India's current landscape. Bhadwal pointed out the absence of a dedicated policy framework specifically governing the sustainability footprint of AI and data centers. "We do not have the policies and the regulation clearly defined around it," she stated.
The consensus from the discussion was clear: "Green AI" is not yet a fully realized concept. However, it's also far from being a mere buzzword. It represents an ongoing endeavor, one that demands integrated action from policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and technology developers to ensure India's ambitious AI future is built on sustainable foundations.