
AI isn't just about building smarter machines. It's about building a greener world.
From optimizing energy use to reducing emissions, AI and accelerated computing are helping industries tackle some of the world's toughest environmental challenges.
As Joshua Parker, senior director of corporate sustainability at NVIDIA, explains in the latest episode of NVIDIA's AI Podcast, these technologies are powering a new era of energy efficiency.
Parker, a seasoned sustainability professional with a background in law and engineering, has led sustainability initiatives at major companies like Western Digital, where he developed corporate sustainability strategies. His expertise spans corporate sustainability, intellectual property and environmental impact.
The AI Podcast NVIDIA's Josh Parker on How AI and Accelerated Computing Drive Sustainability Ep. 233
AI can, in fact, help reduce energy consumption. And it's doing it in some surprising ways.
AI systems themselves use energy, of course, but the big story is how AI and accelerated computing are helping other systems save energy. Take data centers, for instance.
They're the backbone of AI, housing the powerful systems that crunch the data needed for AI to work in services like chatbots, AI-powered search and content generation. Globally, data centers account for about 2% of total energy consumption, and AI-specific centers represent only a tiny fraction of that.
AI still accounts for a tiny, tiny fraction of overall energy consumption globally, Parker said. Yet, the potential for AI to optimize energy use is vast.
Despite this, AI's real superpower lies in its ability to optimize.
How? By using accelerated computing platforms that combine GPUs and CPUs. GPUs are designed to handle complex computations quickly and efficiently.
In fact, these systems can be up to 20x more energy-efficient than traditional CPU-only systems for AI inference and training, Parker notes.
This progress has contributed to massive gains in energy efficiency over the past eight years, which is part of the reason AI is now able to tackle increasingly complex problems.
What Is Accelerated Computing? At its core, accelerated computing is about doing more with less.
It involves using specialized hardware - like GPUs - to perform tasks faster and with less energy.
This isn't just theoretical. The change in efficiency is really, really dramatic, Parker emphasized.
If you compare the energy efficiency for AI inference from eight years ago until today, [it's] 45,000 times more energy efficient, Parker said.
This matters because as AI becomes more widespread, the demand for computing power grows.
Accelerated computing helps companies scale their AI operations without consuming massive amounts of energy.
This energy efficiency is key to AI's ability to tackle some of today's biggest sustainability challenges.
AI in Action: Tackling Climate Change AI isn't just saving energy - it's helping to fight climate change.
AI and accelerated computing in general are game-changers when it comes to weather and climate modeling and simulation, Parker said.
For instance, AI-enhanced weather forecasting is becoming more accurate, allowing industries and governments to prepare for climate-related events like hurricanes or floods, Parker explained.
The better we can predict these events, the better we can prepare for them, which means fewer resources wasted and less damage done.
Another key area is the rise of digital twins - virtual models of physical environments.
These AI-powered simulations allow companies to optimize energy consumption in real time, without having to make costly changes in the physical world. In one case, using a digital twin helped a company achieve a 10% reduction in energy use, Parker said.
That may sound small, but scale it across industries, and the impact is huge.
AI is also playing a crucial role in developing new materials for renewable energy technologies like solar panels and electric vehicles, helping accelerate the transition to clean energy.
Can AI Make Data Centers More Sustainable? AI needs data centers to operate, and, as AI grows, so does the demand for computing power. But data centers don't have to be energy hogs. In fact, they can be part of the sustainability solution.
One major innovation is direct-to-chip liquid cooling. This technology allows data centers to cool their systems much more efficiently than traditional air conditioning methods, which are often energy-intensive.
Our recommended design for the data centers for our new B200 chip is focused all on direct-to-chip liquid cooling, Parker explained. By cooling directly at the chip level, this method saves energy, helping data centers stay cool without guzzling power.
As AI scales up, the future of data centers will depend on designing for energy efficiency from the ground up.
That means integrating renewable energy, using energy storage solutions and continuing to innovate with cooling technologies.
The goal is to create green data centers that can meet the world's growing demand for compute power without increasing their carbon footprint.
The compute density is so high that it makes more sense to invest in the cooling because you're getting so much more compute for that same single direct-to-chip cooling element, Parker said.
The Role of AI in Building a Sustainable Future AI is not just a tool for optimizing systems - it's a driver of sustainable innovation.
From improving the efficiency of energy grids to enhancing supply chain logistics, AI is leading the charge in reducing waste and emissions.
AI, I firmly believe, is going to be the best tool that we've ever seen to help us achieve more sustainability and more sustainable outcomes, Parker said.
The AI Podcast NVIDIA&
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
14/07/2026
South end zone videoboard, cloud-based control system will be ready for 2026 football season...
14/07/2026
Redesigned website, enhanced mobile app unify content, ticketing, and personalized fan engagement...
14/07/2026
Agreement spans sponsorship sales, digital monetization, radio production, and new practice facility naming rights...
14/07/2026
Independent league adds 14 regional sports network affiliates, growing distribut...
14/07/2026
New strategy aims to unify competitions, content, fan engagement, and commercial...
14/07/2026
ESPN and Disney+ become exclusive home of PFL events in key international MMA market...
14/07/2026
Gill will oversee engineering, technology, and sports operations across the company's 64 local television stations...
14/07/2026
Submitted by North American Broadcasters Association (NABA)
As broadcasters con...
14/07/2026
Modernized mobile unit combines HOME Apps, mc 56 console, and IP infrastructure ...
14/07/2026
Every match of the 32-team tournament will air across ION and Scripps Sports platforms in English and Spanish...
14/07/2026
FloHockey to stream every game of the annual international tournament under four...
14/07/2026
Victory+ telecasts to be simulcast on TEGNA-owned station, expanding free local distribution...
14/07/2026
Plug-ins for heavy music
Avalanche Tones is the brainchild of Ava Toton, a 17-year-old musician and developer who says her goal is to make the lives of gui...
14/07/2026
Launched alongside new Singer Showcase purchase model
IK Multimedia's innovative vocal-synthesis software has just gained its latest voice add-on, the R...
14/07/2026
Registration open until 1 September 2026
The MIDI Association have revealed that the registration deadline for this year's MIDI Innovation Awards has no...
14/07/2026
88-note model completes MK4 range
Novation have just introduced the final model in their flagship MIDI controller keyboard range, the Launchkey MK4 88. Roun...
14/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/07/2026
IBC2026 has unveiled a powerful Conference programme bringing together global media leaders, technology innovators, creators, sports organisations, broadcasters...
14/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/07/2026
Broadcast Solutions, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, has delivered two highly capable outsid...
14/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/07/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of the Nemotron Labs blog series, which exp...
14/07/2026
Techtel Successfully Relocates AICD Broadcast Studio to New Sydney Headquarters
BroadcastBroadcast EquipmentLive StreamingBroadcast Studio2026
14 July Writ...
14/07/2026
Tuesday 14 July 2026
First look revealed for Friday the 13th prequel, Crystal ...
14/07/2026
When immersive audio dominates industry headlines, it's easy to assume that every broadcaster is preparing for an Atmos future. The reality is quite differ...
14/07/2026
Emma and Sophie from ICG's marketing team joined thousands of fellow marketers, brands and agencies at MAD//Fest London 2026, one of the UK's biggest ma...
14/07/2026
Why Trusted and Secure Media Operations Matter In this series, we explore the technologies, architectures and operational realities shaping modern media operati...
14/07/2026
Pilot Project Shows How Retailers Are Prepared for the Next Step in the Evolution of Digital Commerce
Arvato Systems Drives Agentic Commerce Forward
G terslo...
14/07/2026
As part of this commitment, weve joined the SME Climate Hub, publicly pledging to:
measure our greenhouse gas emissions
reduce them in line with a net zero p...
14/07/2026
Power is AI infrastructure's inescapable constraint. How many tokens an AI factory can generate within a fixed power budget determines its revenue and profi...
13/07/2026
The Braves opted to keep production in-house rather than hand it off to MLB...
13/07/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and repo...
13/07/2026
Eurovision Sport is making live athletics more accessible to fans than ever befo...
13/07/2026
The Milwaukee Bucks will return to full-season over-the-air television for the 2...
13/07/2026
SMPTE has announced an expanded education pathway for media technology professio...
13/07/2026
Vizrt has announced that its graphics technology was used by broadcast design agency Girraphic for Netflix's debut MVP MMA event, broadcast live from the In...
13/07/2026
ARRI has announced an agreement to sell its global rental activities in Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America to H2 Equity Partners through a management...
13/07/2026
DAZN has announced a partnership with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) to bring PBC fight nights to DAZN subscribers globally. The partnership begins Saturday, Ju...
13/07/2026
TikTok and WSC Sports have announced a strategic partnership that gives sports r...
13/07/2026
Two new Ross products -Brushback: Full Count and CapGo - are debuting at Citizens Bank Park All-Star festivities...
13/07/2026
MSG Networks' was given exclusive access during the Knicks' unforgettabl...