CBA Record January-February 2026

THE YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION

The Environmental

Costs of Generative AI

By Katherine Hanson

G enerative AI use has skyrocketed in recent years in every sector of society, changing how many of us live and work. Such ubiquity demands an examination of AI’s risks in addition to its merits. Environmental concerns are an often-overlooked area of risk. Many environmental experts have expressed concerns about AI’s environmental sustainability. In 2024, the International Energy Agency (IEA) projected that by 2026, the energy use associated with AI, data centers, and cryptocurrency would equal that of the entire country of Japan. Cornell researchers estimate

that, by 2030, the current rate of AI growth will release 24 to 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually—which is roughly the equivalent of adding 5 to 10 mil lion cars to U.S. roadways. And the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Electricity Demand Growth and Data Centers: A Guide for the Per plexed estimates that 25% of new domestic energy demand will come from data centers by 2030. AI Data Centers Use Massive Amounts of Energy Data centers house most larger-scale AI functions and pose a

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