- March 12, 2024
- -
- March 12, 2024
On March 12, 2024, Aspen Germany hosted the second workshop of the new event series AITech Dialogues in cooperation with Microsoft Germany. The project AITech Dialogues: AI for Sustainable and Just Societies is designed to address existing and emerging AI technologies, particularly with regard to ethical considerations of their impact and the required governance.In the second workshop, titled “SustAInability? The Role of Artificial Intelligence for Climate and Environment,” experts from politics, business, science, and civil society discussed what climate-friendly AI could look like and how AI-based solutions could contribute to actively combating climate change, using resources more efficiently, and promoting ecological sustainability.AI-supported applications are seen as a promising way to combat the climate crisis, for example, by optimizing the effectiveness of resource-intensive processes, pointing out necessary environmental protection measures at an early stage, or identifying untapped potential for CO2 reduction. At the same time, their use is associated with high consumption of electricity and resources, for example, in data centers. Particularly in the pressing environmental and climate area, it is clear that the rapid advances in machine learning, computing capacity, and data processing are leading to new challenges but also to new solutions. It is, therefore, important to reduce the negative side effects and achieve a positive overall balance between AI and sustainability through savings and complementary measures.Together with decision makers and thought leaders we will discuss the following questions: How can a sustainable and pioneering approach to AI be shaped that does not hinder innovation but at the same time contributes to climate and environmental protection? What obstacles currently exist to using AI effectively for climate and environmental measures? What innovative approaches are there to using AI in areas such as renewable energy, emissions reduction, intelligent resource management, and environmental monitoring? Where are the greatest opportunities for international democratic cooperation? What role should the transatlantic partnership, particularly the TTC, play in this endeavor? The following esteemed speakers discussed these questions: Maik Außendorf, MdB, Digital Policy Spokesperson, Parliamentary Group Alliance 90/The Greens; Dr. Marcel Dickow, Head of Unit Digitalization and Sustainability, German Environment Agency (UBA); Dr. Jennifer Pernau, Government Affairs Manager, Microsoft Berlin, Elena Poughia, Managing Director, Dataconomy and Founder, Data Natives, and Michael Schultz, Head of Division for Principles of National and International Digital Policy, Digitalisation and Sustainability, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
