ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) is often hailed as a tool for efficiency. After all, it is capable of cutting waste, improving energy use and even driving climate-based research.
But its rapid ascent carries a hidden cost and as governments and industries rush to embrace it, an impending question looms: Will AI be an ally in the push for a greener future? Or an underrecognised contributor to worsening climate change? And is some form of compromise possible?
The promise vs the reality
AI has embedded itself into our daily lives, working seamlessly with existing and fast-evolving technologies.
It is steering industries forward, from powering self-driving tech of automotive giants and detecting fraud in finance to enhancing diagnostics, treatments and administration in healthcare.
AI has even been adopted for environmental causes. It powers sensors, drones and camera traps to monitor endangered species, it supports climate and weather modeling for disaster preparedness and even streamlines complex processes in waste management.
According to a 2025 McKinsey & Company report, 92% of companies worldwide plan to increase their AI investments over the next three years.
On the flip side, the picture isn’t as bright. While AI can indeed help reduce waste and improve efficiency, the infrastructure that makes such tools possible has a steep environmental price tag.
A study by UK-based energy supplier Business Energy UK found that ChatGPT alone consumes about 39.98 million kWh daily, the equivalent of charging eight million smartphones.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that data centres—the hubs that host IT infrastructure for delivering AI services—consume roughly 415 TWh of electricity, accounting for about 1.5% of global demand.
However, the IEA stresses that while not all of this energy use comes from AI, demand from data centres—significantly driven by AI—could nearly double by 2030.
As of December 2024, data centres in Malaysia used about 434.5 megawatts of electricity (roughly 2.2% of Peninsular Malaysia’s supply) with the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra) projecting that the demand could soar to 12.9 gigawatts by 2030 and 20.9 gigawatts by 2040.
Cooling makes up nearly half of this energy consumption and with the national grid still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, the resulting carbon footprint is substantial.
Companion for good
For everyday users, including students, these incredible amounts of energy and resources needed to keep AI systems running go largely unnoticed.
Many see AI as not just harmless but actively beneficial. One student described using AI freely and without much concern.
Silvia Lew, who is currently undertaking a Diploma in Communication at Sunway College, described AI as a constant companion in both her studies and daily life, as she turns to ChatGPT to clarify tricky concepts, complete assignments and even seek skincare advice.
Its biggest benefit, she shares, is educational support: “It really improves my knowledge, especially when I’m struggling.”
And she is not alone in her consistent usage of AI. A 2024 survey by Samsung found that nearly 90% of South-East Asian youth use AI tools daily, with the top uses of the technology being learning, creativity and staying informed.
Yet when asked about the environmental impact of using the AI tools she relies on, Silvia admits she has “not really considered it.”
However, she admits, her perception will likely gradually shift as she learns about AI’s environmental impacts.
Instead of depending on AI as her main source, she is open to exploring alternative methods, to both ease her reliance on AI and use it more mindfully.
The skeptic side
For other students, this hidden footprint is reason enough for caution.
Fellow Sunway College Communication diploma student Aenishea Tay deliberately abstains from using AI.
At first, she avoided it due to privacy concerns, but later she saw it as fostering an unhealthy dependence that weakens critical thinking.
Aenishea finds AI’s environmental footprint deeply unsettling. “One of my very greatest worries about AI is the unbelievable amount of water that is used up every time any message is sent to a chatbot,” she said.
To her, the idea that staggering amounts of energy and water are being consumed just to crack a joke or solve a simple equation, reflects the waste built into the bones of the technology.
“If the day comes when AI becomes unavoidable in education, I’ll consider using it,” says Aenishea, adding that she would only do so if it didn’t demand such heavy use of water and energy.
Seeking a compromise
Silvia and Aenishea’s differing views capture the divide in how young people are grappling with AI’s role in sustainability.
For one, AI can be seen as a trusted study partner and potential force for good, with its unseen costs barely registering.
For the other, it is a symbol of overreliance on technology, carrying hidden environmental and social risks that outweigh its convenience.
Personally, I think the path forward may lie in rethinking how AI itself is built and used.
Many companies are already exploring greener alternatives. Take Ark Data Centres in the United Kingdom for example, who are integrating solar panels and use renewable fuel alternatives, reducing onsite carbon footprint by 95%.
In the United States, the Department of Energy’s Coolerchips programme has invested US$40mil to reduce data centre cooling energy consumption from 40% to 5%.
For those of us using AI on a much smaller scale, being mindful of unnecessary queries and utilising AI as a complement rather than a crutch can make a big difference.
The challenge is not to reject AI wholesale, nor to embrace it uncritically, but to push for a middle ground where innovation is balanced with responsibility.
I believe finding that equilibrium is what will determine whether AI can become a genuine ally in the fight for a greener future.
Aeslinn Noel Tay
BA (Hons) in Communication, Sunway University
Mentored by Kerry-Ann Augustin
About the programme:
The Star Journalism Apprenticeship Programme offers hands-on experience and mentorship for aspiring journalists. Interested students can apply at brats@thestar.com.my
