Should We be Worried About AI’s Energy Use?

Web3, AI and the creator economy in under 3 minutes per week!

Author

Shira Lazar
April 07, 2024

Hope you had a great weekend! I spent some time in Dallas attending my first Mavs game, which was a blast! 

What You Need to Know: AI and Power Usage!

Did you know that AI is using enough electricity and energy to power a small country? It's expected to double by 2026. That's a lot of energy! With the current state of our planet and climate crisis, I think we should be a bit more worried about this. 

Experts are shifting focus from hardware optimization to algorithmic improvements to mitigate the environmental impact, highlighting techniques that significantly reduce energy use without compromising AI accuracy. 

However, as the efforts to make AI more efficient, there's a concern that increased demand could offset energy savings. There's a growing call for developers and organizations to carefully evaluate when and how they use AI, balancing the need for innovation against environmental impacts.

Check out this post from Harvard Business Review on how to make generative AI greener.

Some companies and individuals to check out focusing on this work:

🔥My Hot Take: Just like crypto, we need to seriously look at disruptive tech and environmental sustainability. Companies have a responsibility to do this work and implement changes. That said, AI can also help companies works towards a lower carbon footprint.

Shira Lazar

On My Radar:

Co-Manager is an AI assistant for music careers, blending expert knowledge with machine learning and your streaming data to provide personalized advice for your music journey. Venice Music was founded by music industry veterans and Q&A co-founders Troy Carter and Suzy Ryoo.

In the News:

Meet 4 Women Sounding the Alarm on the ‘Loneliness’ Epidemic

Check out this feature on the panel I hosted at SXSW at SHE Media's Co-Lab, which focused on the loneliness epidemic. Brooke Shields, Tiffany Cross, Mandy Teefey, Ann Shoket, and I discussed the mental health crisis's impact, especially on women and minorities, and explored solutions like fostering community and embracing 'JOMO' over 'FOMO.'

P.S. Join me in Vegas for NAB April 14-17!

NAB, The National Association of Broadcasters, advocates for U.S. radio and TV broadcasters, focusing on government representation, industry innovation, and community service.

I’ll be hosting the main stage and interviewing viral video filmmaker Casey Neistat. Just go to NAB.org and use code “SHIRA24” to get tickets!

Other headlines to check out:

Web3

AI

Creator Economy 

I’m Bullish On…

Larissa May 

Larissa May is a digital wellness pioneer and founder of #HalfTheStory, which she started in 2015 after struggling with her relationship between social media and mental health. May is an advocate who educates teens on safe social media use and motivates them to influence policy. She conducts school workshops on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, stressing proactive change over waiting for tech companies. Her mission is to empower youth to actively shape a safer digital environment. Check out her latest feature on WSJ!

Gentle reminder:

“If you want someone to show up for you, you have to show up for them…”

– Ann Shoket, founder and CEO The L.ist

Remember, I'm Bullish on you!

With gratitude,