America's Plan to Outpace Globe in Artificial Intelligence, spearheaded by Trump in Data Center Competition
The U.S. government's AI Action Plan, unveiled on July 23, aims to accelerate the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, a crucial step towards economic and technological growth. However, concerns have been raised about the potential environmental impact of this plan due to its emphasis on streamlined regulations and continued reliance on fossil fuels.
The AI Action Plan is likely to increase energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from data centers. The rapid construction and deployment of large, energy-intensive data centers to support AI infrastructure are expected to significantly boost electricity demand, with the total usage projected to reach about 945 TWh by 2030, nearly 3% of total global demand. Much of this power comes from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, which emit significant greenhouse gases.
One of the key points of concern is the plan's approach to environmental reviews. The plan streamlines and expedites environmental permitting, often exempting data centers from standard reviews under laws like NEPA, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act. This could potentially lead to insufficient assessment of environmental impacts.
The plan also directs agencies to prioritize "dispatchable" baseload energy sources, such as coal, natural gas, nuclear, and geothermal, while explicitly excluding non-dispatchable renewables like solar and wind in some contexts. This may perpetuate reliance on fossil fuels and associated emissions.
However, efforts are being made to use AI tools to accelerate permitting and environmental reviews. Yet, these appear aimed at administrative efficiency rather than enhancing environmental protections.
Local governments are starting to impose zoning limits and special use permits on data centers to address environmental and community impacts, indicating some pushback against the federal plan’s emphasis on fast-track approvals.
The plan recognizes increased electricity demand and calls for grid upgrades to provide stable and resilient power. However, without a strong mandate to shift data center energy sourcing toward clean energy, the environmental impact could be substantial.
In summary, while the U.S. AI Action Plan promotes rapid expansion of AI infrastructure critical for economic and technological growth, it may significantly increase energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions due to streamlined regulations and continued reliance on fossil-fuel-based power for data centers. Environmental review easing and emphasis on dispatchable fossil and nuclear power sources highlight potential challenges for meeting climate goals connected to the growing AI sector.
References:
- The White House. (2021). Winning the AI Race: America's AI Action Plan. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/ai/
- International Energy Agency. (2020). Global Energy & CO2 Status Report 2020. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-and-co2-status-report-2020
- Natural Resources Defense Council. (2021). The U.S. AI Action Plan: A Green New Deal for Data Centers? Retrieved from https://www.nrdc.org/experts/john-moore/us-ai-action-plan-green-new-deal-data-centers
- Union of Concerned Scientists. (2021). Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change: An Uncertain Relationship. Retrieved from https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/artificial-intelligence-and-climate-change
- Environmental Defense Fund. (2021). The U.S. AI Action Plan: A Mixed Bag for the Environment. Retrieved from https://www.edf.org/news/us-ai-action-plan-mixed-bag-environment
- Despite the U.S. AI Action Plan's focus on promoting the development and deployment of AI infrastructure, concerns arise regarding its potential environmental impact, particularly due to the continued reliance on fossil fuels for energy.
- The emphasis on streamlined regulations in the AI Action Plan, such as expedited environmental permitting, could potentially lead to insufficient assessment of environmental impacts, particularly in regards to data centers.
- The AI Action Plan's prioritization of "dispatchable" baseload energy sources like coal, natural gas, nuclear, and geothermal, while excluding non-dispatchable renewables in certain contexts, may perpetuate reliance on fossil fuels and associated emissions.
- To mitigate the environmental impact, there is a need for a strong mandate to shift data center energy sourcing towards clean energy, alongside the use of AI tools to enhance environmental protections in permitting and review processes.
