Climate change won't wait for AI — and we must not either

The author asserts that AI is not a 'silver bullet' for limiting global warming to 1.5°C and warns against waiting for the technology to mature before acting. While AI can enhance efficiency through tools like microgrids and GenAI-based analytics, its growth poses risks, with data centre power consumption expected to double by 2028. The text emphasizes that proven solutions—such as renewables, electric vehicles, and building retrofits—should be prioritized immediately.

• AI should be viewed as an accelerator for existing technologies rather than a primary solution, as it cannot alone limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The author warns that excitement over AI must not hinder the deployment of currently available tools such as heat pumps, electric vehicles, renewables, and building management software.
• The buildings and construction sector is a significant source of emissions, accounting for approximately 37% of global energy and process-related carbon emissions. The document states that net-zero buildings are possible today using existing combinations of sensors, software, and local renewables like rooftop solar, without needing future AI developments.
• AI can drive efficiency and decarbonization when integrated with other technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, and augmented/virtual reality. Examples include intelligent software for microgrids that optimizes energy production and storage, and GenAI-based tools like Resource Advisor Copilot that help sustainability teams analyze enterprise data.
• The rapid expansion of AI and data centres presents a risk to energy and water consumption. Power consumption for data centres is estimated to roughly double by 2028, with AI's share of that total increasing from approximately 8% currently to 20% by 2028.

APA

Herweck, P. (2024). Climate change won't wait for AI — and we must not either. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/climate-change-ai-davos24/

Chicago

Herweck, Peter. Climate change won't wait for AI — and we must not either. World Economic Forum, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/climate-change-ai-davos24/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Herweck |first1=Peter |title=Climate change won't wait for AI — and we must not either |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=8 January 2024 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/climate-change-ai-davos24/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{herweck2024climate, author = {Herweck, Peter}, title = {{Climate change won't wait for AI — and we must not either}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/climate-change-ai-davos24/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }