**How AI Can Help Fight Climate Change and Build a Sustainable World**
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform our future, but how can we apply it effectively to combat climate change and find sustainable solutions? Sims Witherspoon, our climate & sustainability lead, recently spoke at TED Countdown about utilizing AI to accelerate the transition to renewable energy. According to Witherspoon, it is essential to shift our focus from discussing the “what” to identifying the “how.”
**Understanding Weather, Climate, and Their Effects**
To effectively tackle climate change, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of its core problems and their impacts. DeepMind, in collaboration with the UK Met Office, has developed a precipitation nowcasting model that outperforms existing options and is favored by expert meteorologists. By improving short-range (under two hours) and medium-range (ten days) weather forecasting, we can optimize renewable energy systems that rely on natural resources.
DeepMind’s involvement goes beyond weather forecasting. We have supported initiatives such as modeling animal species’ behavior in the Serengeti and advancing conservation projects in Africa. We are also using AI to identify bird songs in Australia, aiding in monitoring changing wildlife at a larger scale. Additionally, we have partnered with non-profit organization Climate Change AI to address gaps in climate-related data and compile a comprehensive wishlist of datasets that would benefit AI solutions for climate change.
**Optimizing Existing Systems**
While transitioning to sustainable infrastructure, it is essential to optimize the systems that currently support us. For instance, our AI technologies have been developed to enhance existing systems such as industrial cooling and computer systems. By improving energy efficiency, we can maximize resource utilization during the transition to renewable energy.
In collaboration with a Google-owned wind farm, DeepMind’s climate & sustainability team used machine learning to increase the value of wind energy. By developing an AI tool that predicts wind power output and recommends energy supply commitments to the grid, we significantly boosted the wind energy industry’s profitability. We are currently piloting and developing a software product based on this model with French power company ENGIE.
**Accelerating Breakthrough Science**
In addition to optimizing existing infrastructure, breakthrough scientific advancements are essential for building a sustainable energy future. One area of great promise is nuclear fusion. DeepMind collaborated with the Swiss Plasma Center at EPFL to develop an AI system that successfully predicts and controls plasma in a tokamak-style nuclear fusion reactor. This AI system not only contains the plasma but also shapes it into various experimental forms, advancing our understanding of nuclear fusion’s potential as a limitless carbon-free energy source.
**Collaboration and Community Engagement**
To develop effective AI solutions, it is crucial to understand the challenges faced by communities worldwide. This involves accessing representative data, partnering with domain experts, following regulatory guidance, and finding opportunities for real-world testing. DeepMind values collaboration with affected communities, scientists, industry professionals, regulators, and governments as the central approach to our sustainability efforts.
Are you an industry domain expert or climate scientist with a specific challenge that could contribute to understanding, mitigating, or adapting to climate change? Our climate & sustainability team would love to collaborate with you.
**Contact us:**
Email: [email protected]
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