Image: Galyna_Andrushko/Envato Elements Generative AI is energy-intensive, and the ways in which its environmental impact can be calculated are complex. Consider the downstream effect of generative AI on the environment when examining your company’s own sustainability goals. What side effects might not be immediately visible but could have a major impact? When does most of the energy consumption occur: during training or everyday use? Do “more efficient” AI models actually address any sustainability concerns? The impact of generative AI on electricity generation, water, and air quality AI’s impact on air pollution In December 2024, the University of California, Riverside, and California Institute of Technology calculated that training Meta’s Llama-3.1 produced the same amount of air pollution as more than 10,000 round trips by car between Los Angeles and New York City. The increased air pollution from backup generators at data centers running AI caused regional public health costs of approximately $190 million to $260 million a year, the UC Riverside and Caltech researchers found. AI’s impact on electricity use A 2024 report from the International …