AI with ProSocial traits fosters universal harmony, delivering on a vow for planetary concord.
In an era where six of nine planetary boundaries have been pushed beyond safe limits, artificial intelligence (AI) is being proposed as a potential solution to address the current environmental crisis, known as the "Great Acceleration". This technological advancement, when guided by intentional, responsible human direction, has significant potential to advance planetary health—the health of human civilizations and the natural systems on which they depend—and to foster harmony between technology and nature.
AI's contributions to planetary health are diverse and far-reaching. In the realm of climate action, AI can optimize energy systems, transport, and food consumption, potentially reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by 3.2 to 5.4 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent annually by 2035. In the power sector, AI improves the efficiency of renewable energy grids and increases the output of solar and wind installations by up to 20%. AI-driven climate risk forecasting also helps farmers adapt to shifting weather patterns, supporting food security even as the climate changes.
In agriculture, AI empowers regenerative practices by analysing soil health, guiding cover cropping, no-till methods, and crop rotations that restore soil vitality and biodiversity. AI models can facilitate carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, enabling farmers to participate in carbon markets and receive incentives for climate-positive actions. By predicting optimal conditions for beneficial insects and pollinators, AI can help design farms that actively enhance local ecosystems.
AI also accelerates life sciences research, enabling rapid analysis of complex biological and ecological data, which can inform conservation strategies and the discovery of novel solutions for planetary health. Policymakers benefit from AI’s ability to synthesize vast, disparate datasets, aiding in the design of interventions that balance human needs with the preservation of natural systems. The integration of AI with frameworks like Planetary Health and Planetary Boundaries supports a unified approach to addressing global challenges such as biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change.
AI can also nudge individuals and organizations towards more sustainable behaviours, for example by increasing the adoption of alternative proteins and reducing reliance on resource-intensive diets. By modelling climate systems and simulating policy impacts, AI provides decision-makers with tools to anticipate outcomes and optimize interventions for maximum benefit to both people and the planet.
However, it is crucial to remember that the transformative potential of AI depends on the intentions and values guiding its development and deployment. AI is a tool—its impact is shaped by the goals set by humanity. When aligned with prosocial and proplanetary objectives, AI can help rewrite the relationship between technology and nature, steering development toward coexistence rather than conflict.
The future envisioned is one where AI has helped deliver the greatest regeneration in human history, with cities breathing like forests, oceans teeming with life, the climate stabilized, and communities thriving in diversity and dignity. To achieve this, continued collaboration across disciplines, proactive policy, and a commitment to aligning AI with the broader goals of planetary well-being are required.
However, AI's current trajectory is contributing to the environmental problems it could help solve, with data centers accounting for a significant portion of global electricity consumption and water consumption, and expanding rapidly. To mitigate AI's environmental impact, it is necessary to invest in renewable energy, build AI models that require less energy and water, and enforce stricter corporate environmental performance standards.
The path forward for AI in addressing the environmental crisis is summarized in the acronym PLANET, which stands for Prioritize regenerative design, Lead with justice, Align with nature's wisdom, Navigate complexity, Engage communities, Transform systems. Each line of code written, every algorithm trained, every AI system deployed is a vote for the kind of world we want to create, with the choice between extraction and acceleration or regeneration and wisdom.
References: [1] McKinsey & Company. (2020). AI for a better planet: Realizing potential, mitigating risks. [2] Steiner, J. & Bostrom, N. (2020). The ethics of superintelligence: Choosing our future (Information Technology and Politics). [3] Smith, T. M., et al. (2019). AI, machine learning, and human-centered conservation. Conservation Biology. [4] United Nations Development Programme. (2020). AI for sustainable development: A policy guide. [5] Rockström, J., et al. (2009). A safe operating space for humanity. Nature.
- The contributions of artificial intelligence (AI) in climate action extend to optimizing energy systems, transport, and food consumption, potentially reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 5.4 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent annually by 2035.
- In the field of agriculture, AI empowers regenerative practices by analysing soil health, guiding cover cropping, no-till methods, and crop rotations that restore soil vitality and biodiversity.
- AI models can facilitate carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, enabling farmers to participate in carbon markets and receive incentives for climate-positive actions.
- AI can help policymakers by synthesizing vast, disparate datasets, aiding in the design of interventions that balance human needs with the preservation of natural systems, such as the planetary boundaries.
