Horizon Europe Applications: Time to consider the energy use impacts of AI on climate change

Abstract

It is a little over a year ago since ChatGPT was launched in the public domain. In that relatively short period of time ChatGPT and its competitors have ignited an ongoing debate both within academia and the wider world. Despite resistance and concerns in some quarters Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been firmly embraced by many fields, most notably in universities (1), including in engineering education (2). It is highly probable that numerous applications currently being made to the €95.5 billion Horizon Europe Research & Innovation (R&I) funding program which runs until 2027 will involve an AI component of some kind (3).