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Fortune
Fortune
Chris Gladwin

I sold a $1.4B big-data startup to IBM—then founded a nature sanctuary. Here are the dangers of AI energy consumption

Ocient CEO Chris Gladwin (Credit: courtesy of ocient)

In today’s world, data is often heralded as the new oil, fueling everything from global financial markets to the algorithms behind our favorite apps. But just like oil, our growing dependence on data has a serious environmental cost that is too often overlooked. As the CEO of a data analytics software solutions company, I’ve had a front-row seat to witness how the explosion of AI and big data is driving an insatiable demand for computing power. The environmental toll is mounting, and it’s happening faster than most people realize.

My journey from selling a billion-dollar tech startup to founding a nature sanctuary has given me a unique perspective on the parallel threats our natural and digital environments face. It’s time we rethink how we manage the energy demands of our digital world—before it’s too late.

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