Des Tapaki’s Post

In the current galloping at breakneck speed trends of #GenAI in business, it's critical - as the entire planet is currently suffering extreme heat - that AI itself could be helping us solve many of our #sustainability issues. Solving dilemmas up to and including its own planet consuming energy requirement. Maybe we just need to spin up one or two of those nuclear fusion reactors we've been discussing... Sounds like a #megaproject that will require some data analytics. A really great example of this is Alaska Airlines use of an AI implementation to knock 5.3 minutes off each flight for several months running, thereby saving both several thousands of tons of fuel, and preventing thousands of tons of carbon from being emitted. As The Wilkinz Group and I discussed on our podcast recently: "...imagine if EVERY transportation sector used such a system." Transportation is 30% of emissions in the current calculations. Just imagine that quantity is eliminated from the total year over year. It's not even irrational to consider right now. National Supplier Diversity Institute Oceantic Network OSW Supply Chain Alliance for Clean Energy New York American Clean Power Association (ACP) Soulful Synergy, LLC

The inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was a boon to clean energy startups, but it may find itself gutted with the coming changeover in Washington. With its demise, many environmental-friendly initiatives may be cut. As I’ve noted before, one paradox of AI is that it could hold the keys to solving the climate crisis - but in the meantime it’s using a lot of energy to get there. Without the IRA’s help, it could be harder to develop clean energy to power AI. But as this article in TechCrunch notes, even without the IRA, climate tech’s momentum just might lead to some surprises in 2025. #climatechange #greentech #ai #genai #tech #ira #climatetech https://lnkd.in/eUk_CQ7E

We may die sooner. Hotter, but more intelligent. And VCs will help us too. As the tech world turns its gaze towards artificial intelligence, the climate-tech sector is feeling the squeeze. In the third quarter alone, climate-tech startups raised just $10.3 billion globally—a far cry from the $21 billion pumped into AI, according to Bloomberg Green. The #GenAI boom has “sucked all the oxygen out of the room,” as Matt Eggers of Prelude Ventures puts it. We’re witnessing a seismic shift in capital allocation, with potentially devastating impacts on the fight against climate change. The timing couldn’t be worse. Climate tech, already in a capital-intensive phase focused on scaling critical but unproven technologies like nuclear fusion and green hydrogen, is facing dwindling funds. Unlike AI, where infrastructure needs are well-defined (think data centers, #GPUs), climate-tech ventures demand a greater appetite for risk. And with many investors already pricing in the implications of another Trump administration, known for its adverse stance on climate policy, the future for green investments looks even bleaker. Meanwhile, Big Tech is doubling down on nuclear energy to fuel their AI ambitions sustainably. Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet have collectively invested $59 billion in nuclear power over the last two months, betting on the potential of small modular reactors (#SMRs) for scalable, round-the-clock #cleanenergy. While nuclear energy can be a game-changer in meeting growing data center demands and climate goals, this pivot towards nuclear may widen the funding gap for nascent climate technologies that could reshape our energy landscape. As we race against time to limit catastrophic climate impacts, diverting focus—and capital—from climate tech to AI is a risky gamble. If we’re not careful, we might wake up to find that we’ve bet big on an intelligent horse, but we may not be able to race anymore.

The recent debate on using more nuclear energy to power data centers reminds us of the high energy demand for AI. But is it all black and white, really?   In a new whitepaper that we’ve just published together with swisscleantech, our Accenture DACH sustainability experts Alexandra Molnár and Dr. Sandro Luh looked at AI from a different angle. They asked: Can AI also help to achieve climate targets? And if so, how exactly?   With the whitepaper, we are giving companies a practical guide on how they can leverage the technology to reduce emissions, achieve climate goals and become more climate resilient.   Among others, the whitepaper gives an overview of the most common use cases and highlights more than 40 existing AI tools for climate mitigation and adaptation. Moreover, we also give recommendations on how companies can best embed climate aspects into their AI strategies.   All this is complemented by first-hand insights from practitioners at Google, SAP, Siemens and Swisscom. They share how their companies use AI to save energy or reduce carbon emissions. For example, they use AI for more efficient operations or design products that last longer.   We come to the conclusion that AI’s potential climate benefits can outweigh the negative impacts of higher electricity consumption.   Download the whitepaper “AI and Climate Protection: Opportunities for the Swiss Economy” now:   German - https://lnkd.in/dGRUAMMf English - https://lnkd.in/dWxFQzep   And if you have more questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with my colleagues Alexandra Molnár and Dr. Sandro Luh who are true experts on how to achieve climate goals with AI.   #sustainability #sustainableAI

Please see my recent post on #imminent #security #risk for #deepseek users. What appears to be #flowers may not be #flowers after all. .

🇪🇺 Europe: Build the First Post-Scarcity Civilization .... 👉 We are hardwired for abundance.  Maslow’s hierarchy teaches us: humans don’t dream of survival—we crave "self-actualization". Yet today, Europe debates scarcity while Silicon Valley builds AI “Stargate” and China races toward fusion. This isn’t just a tech gap—it’s a failure of collective imagination.  👉 We’ve done this before. The printing press emerged from audacity, not incrementalism. The Enlightenment was fueled by radical curiosity, not fear. Europe’s legacy is written in breakthroughs—now it’s time to write the next chapter.  🔥 A Future Only Europe Can Build  ◾ Sweden: "GDP doubled" since 1990, emissions "slashed by 80%"—proof that growth and sustainability aren’t enemies.   ◾ France: Mistral AI is close to ChatGPT, powered by "90% nuclear energy"—a blueprint for sovereignty.   ◾ ITER: Our fusion moonshot could light the world by 2050.  We’re not “debating degrowth”—we’re being outspent by private U.S. tech giants. But unlike them, we own the moral high ground: GDPR, fusion, and grids that are already 90% clean. Time to weaponize our ethics.  💡 The Vision: Atomic Ambition Meets Ethical AI    1. Nuclear as Our New North Star  → Turn coal regions into SMR hubs by 2035.   → Launch a €500B Euratom moonshot for fusion pilots.    Why? Sweden didn’t decarbonize overnight—it taxed carbon and built district heating.  2. AI Sovereignty Through Collective Action  → Pool EU pensions into a €200B “Apollo Fund” for quantum and AI.   → Mandate EU-run data centers for public cloud contracts.    "Why?" Tribes thrive on shared rituals. Let’s make “Brussels Effect 2.0” our creed.  3. Redefine Growth as "Human Flourishing" → Train 1M engineers—philosophers of tech, not just coders.   → Turn Mediterranean coastlines into solar farms, Baltic ports into hydrogen hubs.  "Why?" Growth isn’t GDP—it’s a nurse in Helsinki working 4 days/week because robots handle logistics.  🚨 The Ultimatum: Choose Your Legacy  "Option 1": Let U.S. oligarchs and Chinese labs dictate the future. Phase out nuclear, outsource AI, and watch talent flee.  "Option 2: Go "ALL-IN" on what only Europe can do:  → Atomic abundance: Energy so cheap, it reshapes geopolitics.   → Ethical AI: Tech that enhances dignity, not destroys it.   → A post-scarcity pact: Universal basic services funded by AI-nuclear synergy.  🌟 Call to Action  To EU leaders, engineers, and citizens:  1. Demand a European Manhattan Project—AI, nuclear, quantum. No more “innovation theater.”   2. Boycott stagnation. Fast-track SMR permits—cut red tape, not ambition.   3. Build cathedrals. The next Renaissance won’t be painted—it’ll be engineered.  👇 Tag a leader who needs this fire. Share if you’re ready to replace fear with ambition.  

Do you think the blind pursuit of scientific and technological advancement will be our downfall? I've been listening to 'The Precipice' by Toby Ord. It outlines the ways humanity could destroy itself if we don't give proper thought to the risks associated with advancement. This is non-fiction, by the way. Much of the early part of the book focuses on the near misses we've had with nuclear weapons. This is probably what most people think of when talking about humanity-ending events. The climate crisis poses another existential risk but is very different from the threat of nuclear. As the climate continues to change, all the issues will compound over time. What I'm most interested in, though, is the risk that comes with the pursuit of science and tech. 🔬 On the surface, this is a great thing. We've eradicated diseases, improved our lives, built global communities, and can share information immediately with people on the other side of the planet. However, all the good things aside, this advancement means there are even more ways we could destroy ourselves. 💬 Carl Sagan once said: “We live in a society absolutely dependent on science and technology and yet have cleverly arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. That’s a clear prescription for disaster.” Let me make two points: 🧠 Humans rule the planet because of our 'unparallelled mental capabilities'. 🤖 We are trying to create artificial intelligence tools that match human capability. With the right care and attention, this is only a good thing. However, many experts say this is the century where AI could exceed human ability. Sounds cool, right? But what happens when we pass the mantle to machines? With artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence, will we really still be the ones to call the shots? Now is the time to look at ways to align our goals for increasingly intelligent and autonomous machines with human interests. I'm talking about stuff likely outside our lifetimes here; the kind of big-picture thinking most of us tend to ignore. But thinking about it now could avoid disaster in the future. I know I'm getting a bit 'I, Robot' here... Obviously, I'm having an existential crisis and am only on chapter two of this book. Let me leave you with two takeaways from this: 📗 1. This stuff is incredibly difficult to think about because of the sheer timescales involved, but if you are interested in technology, 'The Precipice' is well worth reading. 👍 2. Say thank you to ChatGPT, Gemini, Alexa, etc. when they do a good job. Just in case... #existentialrisk #artificialintelligence #technology #climatecrisis #scienceandtech

Water is such a critical resource and should be considered as AI grows, as well as with the consideration of nuclear power.

Water is such a critical resource and should be considered as AI grows, as well as with the consideration of nuclear power.

🍃 How much is the rush to Ai going f—kup the planet? Meta’s new 2-GW AI DC alone is equal to powering 1.65 million homes annually, offers a sobering lens into the future of global energy. It’s one of hundreds of hyperscale centers being built, collectively consuming enough energy to power over 330-500 million homes a year. As AI accelerates, these data centers are fast becoming the backbone of our digital age—but at what cost to the planet? The environmental impact hinges on how these facilities are powered. If fossil fuels dominate, we’re locking in upwards of 1.75 gigatonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, a staggering blow to our climate. Think wide and basically unlivable areas of the planet. On the other hand, nuclear or renewable energy could significantly reduce the footprint, but these options require massive investment and infrastructure. Add to this the hidden toll of cooling systems, which only amplifies energy demands. This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about accountability. Every data center built today shapes the energy mix of tomorrow. AI’s growth shouldn’t be synonymous with environmental harm. We have the tools and the knowledge to power innovation responsibly. The question is: will we choose progress, or will we allow our pursuit of intelligence to become an act of planetary negligence? The answer will define our legacy.