Jane Edwards
A new report from the AI for the Planet Alliance, Boston Consulting Group and BCG Gamma has found that 87 percent of leaders from public and private sectors believe that artificial intelligence is a critical tool in countering climate change.
BCG said Thursday the report, which was based on a May survey of more than 1,000 leaders across 14 countries, showed that approximately 40 percent of organizations think of adopting AI in supporting their efforts to fight climate change.
The respondents cited insufficient AI expertise, limited availability of AI and lack of confidence in AI-related analysis and data as the top three obstacles to using AI in their climate change initiatives.
More than 60 percent of public and private sector executives say they see the business value of using AI in carbon emission reduction and measurement. Other areas in which they envision the business value of the technology for their organizations are forecasting hazards, managing vulnerabilities and facilitating climate research and education.
“AI’s unique capacity to gather, complete, and interpret large, complex data sets means it can help stakeholders take a more informed and data-driven approach to combating carbon emissions and addressing climate risks,” said Hamid Maher, managing director and partner at BCG and BCG Gamma and the report’s coauthor.
“However, most existing AI-related climate solutions are scattered, tend to be difficult to access, and lack the resources to scale. These shortcomings need to change,” Maher added.
The report also showed that 67 percent of respondents from the private sector said they believe governments should do more to support the use of AI in climate change efforts.
