Sustainable computing
Sustainable computing

Sustainable computing

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3 Questions: How AI could optimize the power grid

While the growing energy demands of AI are worrying, some techniques can also help make power grids cleaner and more efficient.

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New materials could boost the energy efficiency of microelectronics

By stacking multiple active components based on new materials on the back end of a computer chip, this new approach reduces the amount of energy wasted during computation.

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How artificial intelligence can help achieve a clean energy future

AI supports the clean energy transition as it manages power grid operations, helps plan infrastructure investments, guides development of novel materials, and more.

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Responding to the climate impact of generative AI

Explosive growth of AI data centers is expected to increase greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers are now seeking solutions to reduce these environmental harms.

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Taking the “training wheels” off clean energy

At the 2025 MIT Energy Conference, energy leaders from around the world discussed how to make green technologies competitive with fossil fuels.

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Collaborating to advance research and innovation on essential chips for AI

Agreement between MIT Microsystems Technology Laboratories and GlobalFoundries aims to deliver power efficiencies for data centers and ultra-low power consumption for intelligent devices at the edge.

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The multifaceted challenge of powering AI

Providing electricity to power-hungry data centers is stressing grids, raising prices for consumers, and slowing the transition to clean energy.

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Explained: Generative AI’s environmental impact

Rapid development and deployment of powerful generative AI models comes with environmental consequences, including increased electricity demand and water consumption.

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Q&A: The climate impact of generative AI

As the use of generative AI continues to grow, Lincoln Laboratory’s Vijay Gadepally describes what researchers and consumers can do to help mitigate its environmental impact.

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Startup accelerates progress toward light-speed computing

Lightmatter, founded by three MIT alumni, is using photonic technologies to reinvent how chips communicate and calculate.