The Artificial Intelligence (AI) tidal wave is upon us and most people are well aware that, with time, it will feel more like a tsunami.

Despite the environmental harm it will bring the AI revolution is an inevitability. If you share our concern we have a simple request:

Read this article by Steven Carlini, which makes a clear case for applying Regenerative Design principles to the problem.

• Use discretion when prompted to engage AI
• Learn about the seven principles of regenerative design and the Living Building Challenge (https://living-future.org/lbc/)
• Support companies that share your concern and are willing to commit to technologies that reduce data center consumption
• Find pathways to raise these concerns within your community

Data centers come under fire because they consume a considerable amount of electricity and water, emit carbon, and generate waste in landfills without producing tangible products—like cars, houses and steel. But data centers do produce useful outputs that an automated world depends on, like music and video streaming, ridesharing, online shopping, process and manufacturing control, banking and brokerage, immersive video meetings and more.

Our digitized world requires a proportional amount of processing and storage, causing exponential demand for data centers to the point where they will account for 2% of global electricity demand within the next few years. While I and many others have been working on strategies and solutions to make data centers more efficient and sustainable, it may not be enough.

Going forward, I contend that data centers must be regenerative….