arXiv:2412.17376cs.LGcs.CY2024-12被引 9

AI训练能耗与硬件生产影响持续上升,效率提升反催生更大模型。

How Green Can AI Be? A Study of Trends in Machine Learning Environmental Impacts

  • 分析2013-2023年主流显卡生产碳足迹及模型训练能耗趋势
  • 发现模型训练能耗呈指数增长,即使优化用电也难抑制
  • 提醒应关注硬件全生命周期影响,而非仅限使用阶段

人工智能模型训练所需的算力呈指数级增长。本文研究2013至2023年间用于训练机器学习模型的图形处理器(GPU)生产环境影响,以及相关模型训练的环境影响变化趋势。通过收集该时期内使用的典型显卡信息,并结合Epoch AI数据集中的著名AI系统,评估其训练过程中的能源消耗与环境影响。结果显示,显卡生产环节的环境影响持续上升;模型训练的能耗和环境影响同样呈指数增长,即便采用迁移至低碳电力区域等优化策略也无法遏制。这表明当前减排措施难以抵消规模扩张带来的影响,可能受‘反弹效应’驱动——效率提升反而促使开发更大模型,从而抵消节能收益。研究强调必须考虑硬件全生命周期影响,避免将污染转移至制造阶段。减少AI环境影响需同时控制技术活动规模并提升效率。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

The compute requirements associated with training Artificial Intelligence (AI) models have increased exponentially over time. Optimisation strategies aim to reduce the energy consumption and environmental impacts associated with AI, possibly shifting impacts from the use phase to the manufacturing phase in the life-cycle of hardware. This paper investigates the evolution of individual graphics cards production impacts and of the environmental impacts associated with training Machine Learning (ML) models over time. We collect information on graphics cards used to train ML models and released between 2013 and 2023. We assess the environmental impacts associated with the production of each card to visualize the trends on the same period. Then, using information on notable AI systems from the Epoch AI dataset we assess the environmental impacts associated with training each system. The environmental impacts of graphics cards production have increased continuously. The energy consumption and environmental impacts associated with training models have increased exponentially, even when considering reduction strategies such as location shifting to places with less carbon intensive electricity mixes. These results suggest that current impact reduction strategies cannot curb the growth in the environmental impacts of AI. This is consistent with rebound effect, where the efficiency increases fuel the creation of even larger models thereby cancelling the potential impact reduction. Furthermore, these results highlight the importance of considering the impacts of hardware over the entire life-cycle rather than the sole usage phase in order to avoid impact shifting. The environmental impact of AI cannot be reduced without reducing AI activities as well as increasing efficiency.

AI环保碳排放显卡能效

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