From ChatGPT to Gemini, everyone’s talking about AI. While it might feel like it has just popped up overnight and taken over the world, artificial intelligence has actually been prevalent since the 1990s. But there’s no denying that it has rocketed in popularity over the past few years, with it now being a key part of our everyday lives, including in the gaming industry. Collins Dictionary even chose “AI” as the word of the year in 2023 (The Guardian).
If you’ve read anything about AI recently, you’ll have also read about the environmental impact of the technology. So, how big an impact does AI actually have on the planet, and are there any environmental upsides to using it? In this article, the tech experts at CyberPowerPC UK are here to explore the environmental impact of artificial intelligence, and how we can use the technology sustainably.
Just how popular is AI?
It’s safe to say that AI has soared in popularity over the past couple of years. Public perception of artificial intelligence is unsurprisingly mixed, with 25% of respondents of the UK Government’s AI attitudes tracker survey predicting that AI will have a negative societal impact and just 14% predicting a positive impact. On top of this, only 16% of UK businesses reported using some form of AI technology in December 2024, according to the ONS Business Insights report. In some areas, the UK is lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to using artificial intelligence, with the UK manufacturers, engineers, and product developers being slower to adopt AI than many of their European counterparts (The Manufacturer).
However, change may be on the horizon as both businesses and the wider public appear set to increase their use of AI technology. In the world of business, 45% of all respondents in the annual American Express barometer survey plan to implement AI in some form into their businesses over the next year. In terms of specific AI business technology, Gartner predicts that AI PCs are going to account for 45% of all PCs in 2025.
AI in gaming
One industry which is being revolutionised by artificial intelligence is gaming. Over 60% of gaming developers are using AI in their workflows (PatentPC). We’ve seen it used in a variety of different forms, from efficient game testing and bug prevention to allowing NPCs to adapt to player behaviour, such as in The Last of Us Part II. We’re also expected to see artificial intelligence play some part in the development of the highly anticipated GTA VI.
In recent years we’ve even seen an increasing selection of games being heavily marketed as “AI games”, providing gamers with dynamic and unique experiences. For example, text adventure game AI Dungeon uses generative AI to create interactive stories in real time.
The latest AI technology
With the increasing popularity of AI comes an increase in the amount of AI tools available. One of the newest and most highly anticipated technologies is DeepSeek, an AI app created by a Chinese team which has taken the world by storm. One of the app’s main USPs is that it uses less memory than rival AI chatbots, which in turn reduces the costs for users (BBC News).
Another AI assistant chatbot to keep an eye on is Le Chat, partnered with French business Mistral AI. The creators claim that this artificial assistant is the fastest on the market, with the ability to deliver an astounding 1,000 words per second (Reuters). Like ChatGPT, there are both free and paid versions of the app available.
The impacts of AI on the environment
We know that AI is more popular than ever, but what does this mean for the environment? Well, some climate scientists worry about the negative impacts to come. AI technologies use a lot of energy, due to the amount of data it has to process. In fact, a study conducted by the VU Amsterdam School of Business and Economics has found that the AI industry could use as much energy as the whole of the Netherlands by just 2027 (BBC News). This means that businesses which use AI may see their emissions rise. For example, AI has driven a 48% increase in Google’s greenhouse emissions (BBC News).
This large amount of energy generates a lot of heat in data centres, which means the servers need to be cooled. This means that the increase of AI usage has also led to much higher water consumption. The Washington Post has found that using ChatGPT to draft a single 100-word email uses the equivalent of a bottle of water (Washington Post). There have also been reports of sharp rises in water use in high-consumption areas, like Virginia’s “Data Centre Alley” (Financial Times).
These negative environmental impacts may be bad news for the gaming industry, which already has issues around emissions. The carbon footprint of the global gaming industry was estimated to be over 81 million tonnes in 2022 (CarbonCredits.com) — more than the carbon footprint of Austria!
The gaming industry’s large carbon footprint is partly driven by the manufacturing of the consoles themselves, which are much less environmentally friendly than many of us realise. For example, the production and transportation of one PlayStation 4 emits the equivalent of 89 kilograms of carbon dioxide, according to a study by the University of Cambridge. Considering well over a million of the consoles have been sold worldwide, it’s easy to see how this number adds up over time.
Can we harness AI to tackle climate change?
Despite its flaws, AI isn’t completely bad news when it comes to the environment. In fact, advancements in AI technology can even help humans make a positive impact on the environment. Artificial intelligence has already been used in various types of environmental monitoring, from monitoring methane emissions to forest monitoring, which allows climate scientists to get a better understanding of carbon stock (University of Cambridge).
We can see the potential positive impacts of AI closer to home, too. In Surrey, the county council is using artificial intelligence to detect potholes, making it quicker for them to act on repairs (BBC News). Not only is this good news for our cars, but it can have a positive impact on the environment as well. This is because potholes can cause drivers to swerve, accelerate, and suddenly brake, which in turn increases driving emissions.
While there is little data on how artificial intelligence is making the gaming industry more sustainable currently, it isn’t hard to imagine ways it can have a positive impact, from reducing energy consumption by streamlining the coding process to improving efficiency with AI testing. There are various developments we may see in the future too, such as using AI to monitor gaming console lifespan and identify repairs early on to reduce e-waste.
How industry leaders and gamers can reduce the environmental impact of AI
Artificial intelligence doesn’t have to be bad news for the carbon footprint of the gaming industry. We can reduce its negative impact, and maybe even use it to create a positive impact, as long as we adopt sustainable practices — and that goes for both gamers and gaming businesses.
One way game developers can use AI sustainably is by finding other ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Harnessing renewable energy sources such as solar or wind to run AI data centres and development studios can have huge benefits, as well as potentially cut pricey energy bills. There are also various carbon offset programmes which businesses of any nature can use to reduce their carbon footprint.
When it comes to sustainable uses of artificial intelligence, it is generally better to use existing generative models when possible. Creating a new AI model takes much more time, effort, and most importantly, resources, which vastly increases energy use. Developers should also be mindful of AI use. Artificial intelligence is a useful tool, but it should not be the be-all and end-all. Knowing when to put it down and use brain power instead will help you reduce your energy usage, as well as allow you to keep the creative sparks flying.
Gamers themselves can reduce their environmental impact by investing in an effective PC cooling system. Custom loop cooling increases the efficiency of PCs, as well as prolongs the lifespan of gaming PCs by preventing overheating, leading to less electronic waste. Liquid cooling is the most efficient option and tends to be a favourite amongst avid gamers who are looking for a cooling system that provides an extra performance boost.
