Cloud computing energy use appears to be on an exponential trend driven by general trends (all things automated), with new forms of automation compounding competitive pressures (deep learning models quickly getting larger, more powerful, more useful, and more versatile in a way erasing many lines holding back past competition.)
At some point, it seems inevitable that computing usage will be a first level climate driver, regardless of how green the energy is.
Harnessing orbital solar, fission and fusion power, may solve the CO2 energy problem, without requiring us to steal the biosphere's energy needs, but will eventually create a massive waste heat energy problem.
Unless we find someway to efficiently transfer mass amounts of heat energy off of Earth.
Or we eventually limit computing on Earth, and export that to the Moon and beyond.
Cloud computing energy use appears to be on an exponential trend driven by general trends (all things automated), with new forms of automation compounding competitive pressures (deep learning models quickly getting larger, more powerful, more useful, and more versatile in a way erasing many lines holding back past competition.)
At some point, it seems inevitable that computing usage will be a first level climate driver, regardless of how green the energy is.
Harnessing orbital solar, fission and fusion power, may solve the CO2 energy problem, without requiring us to steal the biosphere's energy needs, but will eventually create a massive waste heat energy problem.
Unless we find someway to efficiently transfer mass amounts of heat energy off of Earth.
Or we eventually limit computing on Earth, and export that to the Moon and beyond.