Path for telecommunications sector to achieve AI-driven sustainability benefits, as outlined in report by Liberty Global and EY
Repoort Reveals: AI could be a game-changer for the telco sector's sustainability, driving eco-friendly improvements over the next decade.
The joint investigation by Liberty Global and EY, titled 'Smart Networks, Green Planet', delves into how the telecom industry can capitalize on AI innovation to achieve vital sustainability targets.
Despite the energy-guzzling nature of AI, through practices such as the proliferation of GenAI in mobile apps, the report also emphasizes AI's potential to boost operational efficiencies within the telco sector. This includes applications like optimizing energy usage in mobile and fixed networks and utilizing AI-enhanced video technology to streamline network builds.
The AI sector's electric consumption is projected to escalate dramatically, consuming between 85-134 terawatt hours (TWh) annually by 2024—approximately 0.5% of global consumption and equivalent to the Dutch nation's current electricity usage.
AI-powered advancements could help the telco sector maintain its data carrying capacity, which has doubled in the past five years, while keeping energy consumption steady.
The report presents an optimistic outlook, presenting four probable scenarios for AI and sustainability in the next ten years. The most likely predicts AI helping minimize the extra energy needed to support exponential data growth, while also yielding other benefits such as improved resource management, predictive maintenance, and real-time network traffic management.
Four essential actions dubbed the "Growth" scenario, as outlined in the report, include:
- Conducting comprehensive assessments of AI's environmental impact to identify ways to cut energy use and waste.
- Prioritizing AI-driven network optimization to boost efficiency in both mobile and fixed-line networks.
- Accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources by optimizing energy integration, managing storage, and anticipating future demands.
- Implementing AI-driven circular economy practices to prolong equipment lifespans, enhance recycling, and minimize waste.
Mike Fries, Liberty Global's CEO, expressed his commitment to minimizing emissions across their networks and operations. "We're thrilled about AI's potential to help," Fries said, "and we're already witnessing benefits, like optimized energy use in our networks and streamlined network builds."
Harvey Lewis, an EY partner and the report's author, noted that while the given scenarios are speculative, they demonstrate the strategic potential of AI in the telco sector. Success depends on cross-industry collaboration in Europe, investment in skills and infrastructure to foster competition, and a comprehensive approach to AI adoption that balances immediate gains with long-term sustainability impact.
References:[1] "AI-Driven Green Network Planning" - https://www.link-to-source.com[2] "AI in Cooling Systems for Data Centers" - https://www.link-to-source.com
- As the AI sector continues to grow, environmental science and technology must work together to ensure that AI development, such as GenAI in mobile apps, is energy-efficient and contributes to climate-change mitigation efforts.
- To achieve the telco sector's sustainability targets, the report 'Smart Networks, Green Planet' suggests implementing AI-driven practices like optimizing energy usage in mobile and fixed networks, and using AI-enhanced video technology for network builds, while also emphasizing the importance of renewable energy sources and circular economy practices for sustainable AI adoption.
