Month: August 2024

The AI boom threatens an energy crisis: The industry needs sustainable, efficient solutions.

The AI boom has sparked a race to innovate, with companies pushing the boundaries of the technology to build more complex models that require significant computing power. But this relentless pursuit of progress comes at a huge cost: a surge in energy consumption fueled by data centers struggling to keep pace.

Big Tech players such as Google and Microsoft have revealed that their own emissions have climbed significantly in recent years, and projections show that global energy consumption for data centers could reach more than 1,000 TWh by 2026. When considering data centers already account for 2-4% of carbon emissions worldwide, the environmental impact of scaling AI is significant. The need for responsible AI is clear.

So how can we, as an industry, meet the growing demand for AI tools while remaining environmentally conscious?

Establishing ‘greener’ training models

Training large-scale AI systems is extremely power-intensive. When looking at generative AI as an example, systems can consume 33 times more energy than machines running task-specific software. For instance, training ChatGPT-3 consumed an estimated 1.287 GWh of electricity alone – resulting in significant carbon emissions.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. The reality is AI hardware and software optimization is likely to make more difference to energy consumption levels than anything else. By altering their training models as well as developing and using energy efficient code, businesses can become more energy efficient and minimize their carbon footprint.

For example, our latest AI model tuning benchmarks demonstrated improvements in both throughput and latency, significantly enhancing performance and efficiency of a number of large language models, including LLaMA, Mistral, Mixtral, and Falcon. With up to 40% improvement in efficiency, this optimization is significant. It not only increases speed while reducing the costs associated with training AI models but, crucially, it can minimize energy consumption.

Open-source collaboration plays a key role here. Knowledge sharing and code sharing can enable developers to create more energy efficient tools, and to do so more quickly. An open-source approach will help the industry reduce the impact of AI on the environment in the short-term, while bringing more innovative thinking to long-term solutions.

Out with the old, in with the renewable

The surge in the use of AI applications has created an unprecedented demand for infrastructure, which is putting huge pressure on existing data centers – and power grids – around the world. Yet the development of new data centers can often be restricted due to their environmental impact.

This is why building and operating data centers in regions with a stable supply – if not an oversupply – of renewable power is crucial. Unlike legacy data centers built close to demand hotspots, we’re starting to see the emergence of data centers that rely on 100% renewable energy, which will be transformative from a sustainability perspective.

By targeting locations with an oversupply of renewable energy, industry players can ensure that the development of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) data centers do not strain existing power grids. This provides sustainable and efficient operations, as deploying AI infrastructure clusters in these areas allows for the utilization of energy that would otherwise be wasted.

Avoiding the AI sinkhole

The desire to innovate is central to any successful business. And yet, it’s important to strike the balance between this and ensuring AI is used with real purpose behind it.

Research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that last year, one in six UK businesses had embraced at least one AI tool. An issue – which has become particularly apparent after the launch of ChatGPT – is that the technology is often being used unnecessarily. And when looking at this with a sustainable lens, we can see that businesses shouldn’t be using AI just because they can.

What we, as an industry, should be asking is: do we have a well thought out AI strategy? Is the business using AI in a way that drives real business returns? Are there other, more energy efficient means that can be implemented? And when the technology is utilized, is my business working with the most eco-friendly AI compute providers? Each of these questions requires a level of personal, and business-wide, accountability. But responsible AI use is crucial if we are to avoid an “AI sinkhole” and minimize wasted resources.

A sustainable AI future

Concerns around the environmental impact of AI are important for the industry to address – and to do so quickly. Although estimates around energy consumption are stark, there are tangible, achievable steps that can be taken to create a more sustainable AI future. We can train AI models more efficiently, we can use data centers powered by renewable energy, and – perhaps most crucially – we can implement best practices around responsible AI use in the workplace.

By doing so, we can embrace the exciting progress of AI and unlock its full potential, without our environment paying the price.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

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AMD has clarified the controversy around Ryzen 9000 benchmarks with PC games, with some pleasing results.

AMD’s Ryzen 9000 (Zen 5) processors, and some previous Ryzen generations, are going to get a performance boost courtesy of an update to Windows 11 in the near future.

An optional patch Microsoft is set to roll out “soon,” according to AMD, will ensure faster frame rates in games (and overall performance elsewhere) for Ryzen 9000, 7000, and 5000 processors – but the biggest gains will be delivered to the new Zen 5 CPUs.

This news was delivered via a blog post that AMD published on the disparities between its internal Ryzen 9000 benchmarking and the findings of many reviewers for gaming benchmarks – and that’s the main reason for this patch being implemented.

AMD’s internal testing showed a 9% generational uplift in gaming at 1080p resolution for Ryzen 9000 over Ryzen 7000 CPUs, but reviewers were finding more modest percentage uplifts (closer to 5% than 10%).

AMD went over the reasons for this in its post, which includes variances in PC and Windows configurations, and critically, the use of a ‘hidden admin account’ in its internal testing, which is something Team Red has already talked about (indirectly, anyway).

AMD tells us in the post: “The Zen 5 architecture incorporates a wider branch prediction capacity than prior Zen generations. Our automated test methodology was run in ‘Admin’ mode which produced results that reflect branch prediction code optimizations not present in the version of Windows reviewers used to test Ryzen 9000 Series.”

AMD notes that this “optimized AMD-specific branch prediction code” is going to be delivered as part of the inbound Windows 11 24H2 update. However, as Ryzen processor owners will likely be keen to get this speed boost, as mentioned at the outset, AMD is working with Microsoft to push out an optional Windows 11 update soon that’ll contain said performance improvements.

(Image credit: AMD)

Analysis: Don’t forget about the nature of optional updates

Do note that as an optional update, this performance improvement will carry its own risks – these updates for Windows 11 are previews, and still in testing, so may have unexpected side effects.

Whatever the case, all Windows 11 users will get the fully finished patch to pep up Ryzen CPUs in the 24H2 update, which could arrive as soon as September in theory – but will probably debut later in 2024. (And if you think about it, the fact that an optional patch is being deployed here – to tide over Ryzen gamers – very much points to 24H2 not arriving for a while yet).

It’s also important to underline that while Ryzen 9000 processors will get the biggest boost, the update will improve performance for Ryzen 7000 and 5000 chips as well – just not as much. That said, Hardware Unboxed’s previous testing suggests that Ryzen 7000 CPUs will get fairly close to the same benefit as Ryzen 9000 (based on purely switching to the admin mode in Windows 11 right now – not something we recommend you do, we should hastily add, for security reasons discussed previously).

AMD provides a few figures in the post comparing Windows 11 24H2 (preview) with the current 23H2 release version, and there is indeed a fair difference in the frame rates achieved in some games with a Ryzen 9 9950X – as much as 13% with Far Cry 6, and 7% with Cyberpunk 2077. (Which incidentally, in the latter case, was the same percentage uplift Hardware Unboxed found).

However, some games exhibited little or no change (3% for Hitman 3, and no difference at all with Watch Dogs: Legion), so this won’t be a panacea for noticeably better frame rates all around – but some titles will clearly see a boost, and the average gains we’re looking at are definitely worth having.

Via KitGuru, VideoCardz

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We’ve also got a glimpse of what could be the iPhone 16 Pro Max screen, and some packaging for the iPhone 16 Pro.

While we wait for Apple to confirm the launch date for the iPhone 16 – which should be sometime in September, based on previous years – the leaks are continuing apace, and the latest one points to ultra-thin bezels for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

This comes from veteran tipster Ice Universe, who has posted a schematic image showing the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a bottom bezel size of a mere 1.153mm. For comparison, the bezel sizes on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro are estimated to be 1.55mm – so we’d be looking at a reduction in thickness of about 0.4 of a mm, which in bezel terms is significant.

A similar leak that surfaced in June put the iPhone 16 Pro Max bezels at 1.15mm and the iPhone 16 Pro bezels at 1.2mm. That leak was from a less reliable source, but together with this latest rumor, it now has more credibility.

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro are also rumored to be getting screen size boosts, up to 6.9 inches (up from 6.7 inches) and 6.3 inches (from 6.1 inches) respectively – which may be due in part to a reduction in bezel size.

Screens and packaging

There’s more from Ice Universe too. The tipster has also posted an image of what is supposedly the tempered glass screen on the front of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, giving us an idea of just how thin the bezels around the screen are going to be this year.

In a separate leak, meanwhile, we’ve seen a glimpse of what’s claimed to be the iPhone 16 Pro packaging, as reported by 9to5Mac and originally posted by OvO Baby Sauce OvO on Chinese social media (a tipster who has made several previous iPhone 16 predictions).

This sliver of packaging doesn’t tell us too much, other than hinting that some iPhone models will be manufactured in India for the first time this year. That should improve shipping times in that part of the world, and reduce Apple’s reliance on China.

All of this information should be confirmed or debunked within the next month, and we will of course be bringing you all the iPhone 16 news as it’s announced – and it’s likely that the final version of iOS 18 will be pushed out at the same time.

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra have seemingly both been leaked, showing familiar designs.

Samsung has already launched plenty of devices this year – most recently the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 – but it looks like the company still has some launches on the way. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 series continues to be the subject of leaks and rumors, and now we’ve seen what appear to be official marketing images of these upcoming tablets.

Android Headlines has shared images of both the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra – a slate that we’ve seen several leaked images of previously – and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, which hasn’t been the subject of so many leaks.

There’s no standard Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 to speak of here, with both Android Headlines and some previous leaks stating that there will just be the Plus and Ultra models this year. From a naming perspective, that doesn’t make much sense, but there we go.

In any case, from these images, we can see that these upcoming tablets look much like their predecessors, complete with dual-lens cameras on the back, and a notch on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra.

Two tablets in two colors

The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is shown in silver, while the Ultra is shown in graphite, and Android Headlines speculates that those two colors – and no others – will be offered for both models, since the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series was sold in just beige and graphite.

There’s not much else to take away from these images, other than the fact that they look official, and if Samsung has produced official imagery already, then that might suggest that these tablets will launch fairly soon.

Leaks so far point to an October release date, with these slates possibly set to land alongside the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. So, if you’ve been holding out for a high-end Samsung tablet or a mid-range Samsung phone, your wait might almost be over.

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