
The French AI Strategy and the Climate Crisis
How Does the French AI Strategy Address the Climate Crisis?
My topic for this week is looking at the AI Strategy in seeing the context in which they mention the climate, sustainability, environment and ecology. Largely taking a look at how they address the climate crisis in their AI Strategy. I have taken a surface look at: “For a Meaningful Artificial Intelligence: Towards a French and European Strategy.” written from the 8th September 2017 to 8th March 2018.

In the most ultimate French way it starts with a picture of the author who is a Mathematician and Member of the French Parliament. It was a mission assigned by the Prime Minister Édouard Philippe. Part of the report consisted of travelling around to different AI hubs in the world and learning more about the topic. It was a team consisting of a varied collection of people.
Straight off it is clearly visible that the French AI strategy has space dedicated to considering the climate and ecology when thinking about the development of artificial intelligence. The fourth section in their document is dedicated to using artificial intelligence to create a more ecological economy.

In the executive summary of the report it is said that:
“Carving out a meaningful role for artificial intelligence also means addressing its sustainability, especially from an ecological standpoint. This does not just mean considering the application of AI in our ecological transition, but rather designing natively ecological AI and using it to tackle the impact of human action on the environment. This is an urgent matter as world data storage requirements, inherently correlated to the development of digital technology and AI, could exceed available worldwide silicon production out to 2040.”
Natively ecological AI sounds a bit like fluff, but there has been talk of different AI solutions that are not trained on massive datasets. As well as storing less data, so it has a practical discussion point elsewhere, and is talked of in the industry particularly in France. The question of resources is a good one too, which I have not seen mentioned enough elsewhere (particularly in the US strategy).
Then again it was the Paris agreement which the world talks of, and it would be very sad indeed if the epicenter of a massive change with great agreement did not take these points seriously. “AI must be included in initiatives emerging as part of the Paris Climate agreement and the Global Pact for the Environment.” It is said as well to be a strategic imperative:
- France and Europe can spearhead this smart ecological transition by raising awareness on the international arena.
- The primary task is to consider both the impact of AI on achievement of the UN’s sustainable development goals, how it puts pressure on certain goals and how it can accelerate others.
How Can This be Done?
To do this it is argued that there has to be a devoted space for AI research and energy resource optimisation research to meet. These thoughts include too a consumer perspective creating a platform to make consumers more aware of their choices in technology. “This platform should also include a simple calculator to enable all citizens to gain greater awareness of these impacts and compare the environmental footprint of the various products, services, software and hardware.”
The cloud industry is mentioned in particular, that: “Public authorities must also act to make the value chain greener and support the European cloud industry to promote its ecological transition.” Uniquely, because I have not seen it elsewhere, this report argues for not only open software, but open hardware: “Lastly, making the AI value chain greener will clearly require open hardware and open software…” The last point, that was mentioned by China as well, was gathering large amounts of climate data.
On page 103 it is argued that it has to be part of the international agenda.
“France could propose setting up a major event along the lines of the COP 21, to showcase exemplary and highimpact initiatives. It could also be more closely involved in the convergence of the two transitions, ecological and digital, within international forums, particularly the G7, where discussions concerning AI were initiated and where France is shortly to take over the presidency”
A Threat and a Solution
One specific existing project is mentioned that I would like to bring forward as well. The Tara Oceans Project: freeing-up massive amounts of data concerning the oceans for the purposes of understanding and modelling a planetary biome. It is argued too that France needs to make more public data available. There is a table presenting the possible use of public data in regards to the environment.

It is stated in the report:
“By 2040 the energy required for computation will equally have exceeded world energy production”
It is said in the report that digital energy consumption is increasing by 8.5% per year and its contribution to world electricity consumption could reach 20% in a moderate scenario or even 50% in a pessimistic scenario by 2030. We can therefore see consumption multiplied 10-fold in 20 years’ time.
Although AI is a potential threat to the environment, it is also a potential solution. They argue that the ESEC, the French Economic, Social and Environmental Council, needs to play a major role in the strictly political debate on artificial intelligence and its consequences.
The French/European AI strategy has a clear focus on the environment and does not only talk of abstract priorities, but specific ways to address the issues.
This is #500daysofAI and you are reading article 156. I write one new article about or related to artificial intelligence every day for 500 days.

