It could transform entire economies to achieve sustainability and inclusiveness without forcing us to give up modern comfort.

With all (deserved) criticism towards artificial intelligence, it’s still worth employing its capabilities to serve their creators in reducing one of the greatest risks humanity is facing today, a new study concludes.

Smart use of AI in just three sectors — energy, food, and transport — could reduce global carbon emissions by 3.2 to 5.4 billion tons every year by 2035. That’s far more than the emissions AI systems themselves are expected to generate, which researchers estimate at 0.4 to 1.6 billion tons per year.

The study, conducted by the London School of Economics and consultancy firm Systemiq, says letting AI play a major role in the fight against climate change won’t require from us to give up modern comforts.

A global opportunity

According to the research, titled “Green and Intelligent: The Role of AI in the Climate Transition,” AI isn’t just a handy tool — it could help transform entire economies to become more sustainable and inclusive.

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Instead of seeing climate action as a burden, the authors frame it as a “huge opportunity” for innovation and sustainable growth. They say that with the right investment, AI can drive positive change and boost resilience, especially in key polluting sectors: power generation, meat and dairy production, and passenger vehicles.

These three areas are responsible for nearly half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Improvements powered by AI in these sectors could outweigh AI’s own environmental footprint.

How to fix the climate change issue

The study highlights five areas where action is necessary to achieve the above-stated goal, using existing Google tools as examples.

1. Smarter systems. AI can make complex networks like power grids and transportation work more efficiently. For example, it can predict changes in wind or solar energy and adjust power usage accordingly. Google’s DeepMind has already shown that AI can increase the economic value of wind energy by 20%.

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2. Faster innovation. AI speeds up scientific breakthroughs. DeepMind’s GNOME tool has discovered over two million potential materials for clean energy and better batteries. Meanwhile, Amazon uses AI to optimize packaging, saving more than 3 million metric tons of material since 2015.

3. Greener choices for everyone. Many of our personal decisions — like what we eat or how we get around — can have a big impact. AI can guide us with better information. Think of Google Maps’ fuel-saving routes or smart thermostats like Nest that help reduce heating emissions.

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4. Smarter climate predictions. AI can analyze huge amounts of climate data to make better forecasts. Tools like IceNet are now predicting Arctic sea ice levels more accurately, helping governments and businesses prepare. AI can also help design smarter, more effective climate policies.

5. Disaster prevention. Early warning systems powered by AI are becoming vital. Google’s Flood Hub provides advance flood alerts in over 80 countries, giving people more time to prepare and stay safe.

Global cooperation is essential

If adopted widely and wisely, the authors stated, AI could cut 1.8 billion tons of carbon emissions annually by optimizing renewable energy in the power sector. It could save up to 3.0 billion tons per year by improving plant-based meat alternatives. Not least, it could also reduce transport emissions by up to 0.6 billion tons through shared mobility and better battery tech.

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While in theory all looks good, nothing will happen unless governments step in to make sure AI is used for good causes, they stressed. This means funding green AI research, setting rules to limit environmental impact, and investing in infrastructure to make benefits global.

With smart policies and international cooperation, AI could be a powerful ally in building a cleaner, fairer future for all, the study authors argue.

However, given the decline of governance globally and the rising number of conflicts, it’s unlikely that the world’s governments would embark on an AI-driven journey to fix our climate change anytime soon.