The Hidden Environmental Cost of AI: How Artificial Intelligence is Impacting Our Planet Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed our daily lives, from voice assistants to advanced automation in industries. While AI brings countless benefits, it also has a hidden environmental cost that few people discuss. Training large AI models consumes massive amounts of energy, contributing to carbon emissions, electronic waste, and water consumption . In fact, training a single AI model can produce as much CO₂ as five cars in their entire lifetime . This article will explore the environmental impact of AI , breaking down how AI affects our planet and what steps can be taken to make AI more sustainable. 1. AI's Carbon Footprint: The Energy-Hungry Beast AI requires massive computing power , primarily provided by large-scale data centers. These facilities house thousands of powerful processors that consume enormous amounts of electricity, much of which comes from non-renewable ...