DIFT Colloquium by Paolo Dini: Can AI Save or Destroy the Planet? The Sustainability Challenge Behind Artificial Intelligence
Date and time: 15:30h, Thursday, 15 October 2026
Location: CFTMAT Auditorium
Speaker: Paolo Dini
Afiliación: Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC/CERCA)
Title: “Can AI Save or Destroy the Planet? The Sustainability Challenge Behind Artificial Intelligence”
Abstract: Artificial Intelligence is increasingly being presented as a powerful enabler of sustainability. From climate change mitigation and renewable energy integration to environmental monitoring, waste management, water conservation, disaster response, and pollution control, AI offers unprecedented opportunities to support more sustainable and resilient societies.
However, the rapid expansion of AI also raises critical questions. What are the environmental implications of having virtually unlimited computational power at our disposal? What is the real impact of AI on energy production and consumption? Can the benefits of AI outweigh the growing demand for data centers, computing infrastructure, and digital resources? And what technological and organizational foundations are needed to ensure that AI itself remains sustainable?
This talk will explore the dual role of AI as both a tool for sustainability and a source of environmental and societal challenges. It will examine the energy, infrastructure, and resource requirements behind modern AI systems, discuss emerging approaches for reducing their environmental footprint, and reflect on how research, industry, and policy can contribute to the development of truly sustainable AI.
Coffee: 16:30 / Ground-floor cafeteria