How to Work Green with AI?

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing explosively, and at the same time, the need for sustainable solutions is increasing.

But how can AI be used in a way that supports green initiatives, especially in web development and digital content?

This article provides you with deeper insights into how AI can be applied sustainably and offers practical advice for adopting a more eco-friendly approach to AI.

What does it mean to work green with AI?

Working green with AI involves reducing the energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with training and using AI models. Particularly in web content, AI can be used to generate text, images, and other content more efficiently, saving time and resources.

Green AI also means focusing on tools and strategies that optimize energy and data usage while still delivering high value.

Top 5 Tips for Working Green with AI

1. Use cloud solutions powered by green energy

Many AI tools run in cloud environments. Choose providers that use renewable energy for their data centers. Major providers like Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure offer green solutions that reduce your carbon footprint.
It is also possible to use local AI instead—that is, AI you download and run locally rather than through the cloud.
Read more in our article on Green Climate-Friendly Local AI, where we focus on local AI.

2. Optimize AI models for your needs

Large language models require significant energy.

Choose smaller models or training models specifically designed for your task.
For example, you can use a text generator with lower computational requirements to save resources.

If you use popular services like ChatGPT, you can select different models at the top, allowing you to choose a smaller version if complex calculations are not necessary.

3. Use fewer and better prompts

If you improve your ability to write a good prompt so that you get the desired result immediately, you can save many resources and, consequently, help the environment.

Good prompts ensure better results and reduce the need for unnecessary AI calls, saving time, energy, and the environment.

Here are 8 practical tips for creating better prompts:

1. Be specific and precise: Avoid vague prompts. Write detailed instructions, e.g., "Write a product description including a headline, a short text, and a bullet list about the product NAME, which is a ticket to LOCATION," instead of "Write a product description about NAME."
2. Provide context and details: Give the AI clear boundaries with descriptions of the desired content, style, or purpose. For example: "Generate an image of a sunny forest in a minimalist style."
3. Give clear instructions: Use active verbs like "Write," "Explain," or "Generate," and avoid unclear requests. Example: "Explain the benefits of GDPR in three short paragraphs."
4. Experiment and fine-tune: Adjust your prompts based on the results. Small changes can significantly affect the quality of the output.
5. Avoid unnecessary demands: Keep your prompts simple and direct. Contradictory or irrelevant demands confuse the AI and result in poorer outputs.
6. Optimize text length: Ask the AI to deliver content of the exact length you need to avoid extra editing and waste. Also, request that it avoid extra explanations if the topics are already familiar to you.
7. Avoid unnecessary experimentation: Use the AI purposefully and avoid unnecessary trials that waste time and energy.
8. Evaluate output before recalling: If a result is not perfect, assess whether you can use or adjust it instead of generating a new call.

By creating sharp and well-considered prompts, you save resources and achieve exactly what you need without wasting energy on unnecessary calls.

4. Automate repetitive tasks

Use AI to automate repetitive tasks such as text generation, image editing, or SEO optimization. 
This minimizes the need for manual labor and saves time and energy.

Some tasks require minimal energy from AI and can advantageously be handled by AI rather than manual labor. It is essential to consider the resources needed when one or more people perform a task. This includes the energy used on a computer over an extended period and factors like video meetings, transportation, etc.

Videos and coding, however, can be heavy for AI, and usage should be limited here.

5. Plan your tasks

Group similar tasks and handle them collectively. By doing so, you can often use a single prompt and response to solve multiple similar tasks without significantly increasing the load on the AI. This approach avoids unnecessary AI sessions.

The Role of AI in Greener Web Development

Major AI providers are also collaborating with hardware manufacturers to make AI more sustainable.

Some of the initiatives to create sustainable AI include:

• Better hardware that uses less power
• Data centers where water (used for cooling) is transferred as warm water to nearby businesses, which then do not need to use energy to heat water (symbiosis)
  • Kalundborg in Denmark, for instance, places a strong emphasis on symbiosis - Read more about Kalundborg Symbiosis
• AI models that are less energy-intensive than those we know today
• Renewable energy from sources such as wind turbines, solar power, etc.

Benefits of Using AI in a Sustainable Way

By using AI sustainably, businesses can reduce their environmental footprint, optimize processes, and deliver a better user experience.

When considering usage and employing it wisely in areas where manual labor would be more resource-intensive, companies can reap these benefits:

• Lower energy consumption
• Improved efficiency
• Reduced CO2 emissions
• Scalable solutions that support green transition

However, it is essential to be cautious when using AI, as it can quickly lead to overuse. Ensure you follow the advice in this blog post if you want to use it more sustainably.