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Responsible digital technology

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How to maintain the use of digital technology while limiting its pollution? Can artificial intelligence using IT and digital technology be compatible with responsible digital technology?
“Great! A new smartphone has just been released, with new operating software, many different applications, frequent updates to stay connected, impressive screen quality and 5G to enjoy the Internet everywhere and without limits, to stream videos for example! I’m buying it!”

Digital technology is constantly evolving, to the point of being omnipresent in our society, always wanting more advanced digital terminals and more functionalities.

The digital industry essentially includes digital terminals, data centers and network infrastructures. Today, everything is changing and must move quickly. With this in mind, there is only one watchword: innovation. However, this strong demand for innovation in digital technology is not without consequences.

Environmental impact

Omnipresent yes, even in environmental disasters.

Energy consumption and CO2 emissions are exploding: the share of greenhouse gas emissions in the world is 4% for digital, more than the aviation sector. In addition, stocks of metals and ores are exhausted and impressive quantities of water are used daily: 1500 L of water are needed to design a single computer. However, 45% of the features requested on digital terminals are never used and the lifespan of products is deliberately reduced, in order to increase their replacement frequency. (Digital obsolescence).

And what about artificial intelligence?

As expected: use of large volumes of calculations for learning algorithms, voracious use of servers, storage of a large amount of collected data… Artificial intelligence, although a player in positive developments, particularly in the medical field, also contributes to the depletion of environmental resources and the development of greenhouse gases.

Digital pollution, i.e. pollution caused by greenhouse gas emissions, chemical components and electronic waste, is therefore increasing more and more. It should be noted that studies show that it is the majority during the manufacture of a device. In addition to a certain environmental disaster, there are also human tragedies linked to the manufacture of terminals: toxic emissions, illegal financing, pollution of drinking water sources and soils impacting food production…

Social impact

Digital is not accessible to everyone.

More and more, digital technology with the Internet is becoming essential in our society: administrative procedures, online payments, dematerialized information, etc.

However, the use of new technologies is beyond and/or inaccessible for some people, mainly in the following situations.

  • Personal situation (age, education, etc.)
  • Financial situation
  • Disability situation, visual impairments, etc.

Being excluded from digital technology means social isolation.

Even if these cases tend to improve, they are still too common. Clearly, it is urgent to implement adequate solutions to reduce the environmental and social impact of digital technology.

Today, digital technology is still too irresponsible.

A solution: responsible digital technology

But then what is responsible digital technology?

Responsible digital technology refers to digital technology that is respectful of the environment and also respectful of its users. In other words, digital technology that is sober, sustainable, ecological and inclusive of all populations while providing them with a real service.

Responsible digital technology brings together, on the one hand, all the approaches which aim to improve the environmental and social footprint of digital technology (Green IT), and on the other hand to improve the environmental and social footprint through digital technology (IT for green).

Green IT refers to all the technologies and tools that allow companies to reduce the environmental impact of their digital industry.

It for Green refers to the approaches implemented through digital technology in order to raise awareness and reduce the ecological footprint of a device.

Green AI and AI for Green

Artificial intelligence, as a major consumer of energy and emitter of CO2, must crucially become responsible.

Green AI is possible The trend is towards high-performance models such as Deep Learning, whose applications greatly improve daily life, particularly with image and voice recognition. However, the more sophisticated the models are, the more input data, computing power and training they require. Moving to green artificial intelligence means raising awareness among the various stakeholders in AI design, and opting for the best possible alternatives to reduce impacts, mainly environmental.

  • Optimizing AI execution frequency
  • Optimizing machine learning tasks
  • Optimizing code
  • Choosing a less energy-intensive Data Center
  • Focusing on Edge
  • Computing Improving data management: defining why we store them? For how long? Are they really useful?

 

AI for green

Undeniably, Green AI is possible and in line with the IT for Green approach, it can also contribute to reducing environmental problems.

AI, a solution for the climate crisis For example, some AI can be trained to predict CO2 emissions and electricity consumption, helping to reduce the carbon footprint. In this continuity, AI can also be used to measure sea level rise, detect the presence of plastic in the oceans and contribute to saving corals.

So to speak, AI has a wide range of possible uses in our society and this in several sectors of activity such as agriculture, health, geothermal energy or aviation, making them more responsible, greener.

Levers and tools for responsible digital technology

Thus, to help this transition to responsible digital technology, many tools and means of action to be adopted on a daily basis are shared and implemented.

For example, the Responsible Digital Institute INR has published a reference guide, the (#GR491), divided into 8 families and offering 57 recommendations for the design of responsible digital services.

https://institutnr.org/guide-de-reference-de-conception-responsable

https://gr491.isit-europe.org/

Reduce the carbon footprint

  • Limit, compress and adapt image and video formats
  • Limit the number of fonts
  • Limit exchanges via Mail and delete them regularly
  • Limit the cloud
  • Choose a responsible web host
  • Optimize and better manage our data

 

Act on the impact of our equipment

  • Implement a responsible purchasing policy by offering reconditioned terminals
  • Manage the end of life of devices by choosing recycling or second-hand
  • Optimize the lifespan of devices and not fall into digital obsolescence
  • Avoid over-equipping

 

Reduce the impact of visuals

  • Limit visual animations
  • Avoid overloading images, colors, contrasts
  • Compress static content
  • Avoid superimposing information
  • Avoid automatically triggering video content
  • Opt for simple and optimized designs Ask the right questions and make the right decisions

Useful: Does the feature meet an initial need?

Usable: Is the feature well explained, understandable, perceptible?

Used: Is the feature actually used?

  1. Recycle what we can no longer use
  2. Refuse what we do not need
  3. Reduce what we need
  4. Reuse what we use
  5. Reform what we can

Conclusion

Ultimately, responsible digital technology is accessible and has multiple benefits such as reducing environmental impacts, reducing manufacturing costs, including all populations, and the ability to benefit from innovative technologies that are truly adapted to needs.

Clearly, the situation concerns everyone, directly or indirectly, and everyone can act at their own level.

Responsible digital technology is now.

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