Irish Labour TD Ciarán Ahern warns about the significant energy consumption of AI tools and data centers, calling for a moratorium on new data centers until their environmental impact is addressed. The debate also touches on the need for government expertise in AI and the potential impact of AI on education and employment.
Labour TD Ciarán Ahern said using AI tools “takes an enormous amount of energy” and “we really do need to concern ourselves” with the amount it uses and how this affects not just energy security and costs, but also climate ambitions.
He was “extremely concerned” with proposed new rules announced by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities that data centre power sources do not have to be “clean, renewable, sustainable sources”. A regular contributor on AI, Mr Byrne said he had long called for Oireachtas hearings and a special committee on the topic and new tech. He said the Government strategy called “AI – Here for Good” is “an excellent document”, but “one of our problems quite often with these is that we say the right things and we do not follow through”.
The debate was introduced by Minister of State Niamh Smyth who has special responsibility for AI. Ms Smyth said she was pleased to address the House “as Ireland’s first minister of state who has artificial intelligence, AI, in their title”. The Mayo TD said “we talk all the time about the damage that has been done in contracting out” so much decision-making and expertise “that used to be within Government but no longer is”.
AI Energy Consumption Data Centers Climate Change Government Policy
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