How AI impacts the environment (and your energy bill)

AI is the future, but how is its infrastructure impacting your air, water, and utilities bills today?

You asked, and Brittany delivered. Many of you wrote in asking about artificial intelligence’s environmental impact. Brittany and Evan Halper, a business and energy reporter for The Washington Post, answer your questions and so much more. Like, is AI causing your energy bills to go up? Are tech companies tricking communities into building data centers? And how do you ethically use AI when you know it impacts nature?

This is the final episode in our AI + U series. You can check out past episodes (Can you trust the information AI gives you? Or How AI slop is clogging you brain) further down in this feed.

(0:35) The AI arms race and its immense energy demands
(5:24) How much energy does AI need to run? Where does that energy come from?
(9:13) Water usage and water quality concerns
(10:30) How does AI impact your energy bills?
(15:09) Can communities stop tech companies from building data centers?
(17:30) Why tech companies may skirt prior climate commitments
(18:49) How much AI should you use knowing its environmental impact?

Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse

For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.


See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy