Recent years have brought rapid advances in artificial intelligence technologies, expanding the capabilities of AI systems to applications in numerous new fields. At the same time, many countries around the world have experienced increasingly serious effects of climate change, in particular in the form of extreme weather events. As these two trends develop in parallel, a range of new opportunities and challenges related to AI and climate change are starting to emerge. On the one hand, AI could help mitigate the climate crisis, helping researchers find cheaper alternatives to decarbonize our economy and aid assessment of exposure to climate risks. On the other hand, the increased demand for energy due to AI data centers is impacting efforts to decarbonize our energy systems.

On December 2, 2024, the Center on Regulation and Markets at Brookings and Duke University will host an event exploring these important topics at the intersection of climate change and AI. The event will feature a keynote fireside chat followed by two expert panels exploring the role of AI in climate change.