AI helping protect our planet
Kiwibit's smart bird feeder uses on-device AI and a playful app to identify visiting species and gamify backyard birdwatching. It makes connecting with nature easier and more fun, while helping users learn about local wildlife and contribute to casual citizen science.
A motion-activated smart bird feeder helps backyard birders capture more fleeting moments — from songbirds to raptors — without constantly watching the yard. By embedding a camera into the feeder and pairing it with companion software, the device makes it easier to record, review, and share wildlife encounters.
DeepMind is rolling out a Google DeepMind Accelerator program across Asia Pacific to support teams using AI to reduce environmental risks. The initiative will fast-track startups and research groups with mentorship, resources and partnerships to scale AI-driven solutions for climate resilience and biodiversity protection.
Startups are deploying AI to recover more aluminum from scrap, turning a 20% price rise into a scalable supply of a critical metal. By using machine learning for smarter sorting, process control and yield optimization, these companies can cut waste, reduce mining demand and create new economic value for recyclers.
Rising electricity demand tied to AI workloads is pushing energy prices in Lake Tahoe, but that pressure is catalyzing investment and new provider interest. The result: faster deployment of renewables, battery storage, smart grids and local jobs that can make the region more resilient and sustainable.
A new interactive map built by Isabelle Reksopuro makes it easy to find data center construction and related AI policy activity across the U.S. The tool clarifies local controversies (like land and water use claims near Mount Hood) and gives residents, journalists, and policymakers a transparent, shareable resource.
Meta has inked a first-of-its-kind contract with Overview Energy to buy solar power beamed from space, enabling night-time renewable electricity. This early commercial tie-up is a concrete step toward continuous, low-carbon power that could help decarbonize data centers and accelerate investment in space-based clean energy.
Fermi, an AI-driven nuclear power upstart co-founded by former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, announced the sudden departure of its CEO and CFO amid challenges at its Texas AI campus. While leadership changes introduce uncertainty, the transition also creates an opportunity to refocus the company on delivering AI-enabled, low-carbon power solutions and to attract new talent and partners to advance deployment.
Google has partnered with the Brazilian government to create a new satellite imagery map designed to strengthen monitoring and protection of Brazil’s forests. The map makes timely, high-resolution imagery more accessible to officials, researchers, and communities—helping detect deforestation, support enforcement, and inform conservation decisions.
OpenAI partnered with the Gates Foundation to run a hands-on workshop helping disaster response teams across Asia apply AI tools to real operational needs. The program focused on practical, safe deployment—teaching teams how to adapt models for early warning, damage assessment, and resource coordination, and laying groundwork for ongoing pilots.
As AI demand drives a wave of new data centers, industry, innovators, and policymakers are stepping up to keep expansion sustainable. Tech giants and AI companies are pledging to avoid spiking local electricity costs while investing in efficiency and transparency that will help protect power grids and communities.
Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren have asked the Energy Information Administration to collect more detailed data on how data centers use electricity and affect the power grid. Better visibility can help utilities and operators plan upgrades, integrate renewables, and improve reliability as AI-driven demand grows.
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