The intersection of AI and climate change is a complex one, and neither can be examined in isolation. On one hand, AI can be leveraged for planetary good, but on the other, emissions from intensive computing facilities harm the environment. Moreover, the deployment of AI tools is situated in multi-dimensional social, economic and political contexts. It can impact how people access climate-related information, manage natural resources and secure their jobs and livelihoods. What are the associated risks, how must we locate opportunities of its use, and what are the key contextual frames we must not look over while leveraging this digital good?
Panelists:
Jennifer Pratt Miles, Partner and Practice Director, Meridian Institute
Neth Daño, Co-Executive Director, ETC Group
Priya Donti, Assistant Professor, MIT EECS & LIDS; Co-founder and Chair, Climate Change AI
Madhuri Karak, Science Communications Fellow, Open Environment Data Project
Tim van den Bergh, Lead Climate Tech Innovation, World Economic Forum's Climate Tech Platform
Moderator: Urvashi Aneja, Director, Digital Futures Lab
This panel discussion is a one of two dialogues curated on the subject of AI and Climate Action in Asia, over the course of a year between 2022-23 by Digital Futures Lab, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation.
Digital Futures Lab is a multidisciplinary research network that examines the complex interactions between technology and society in the global south.