Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently being used in various aspects of research, both in academic and applied settings. This full-day, hybrid workshop aims to enable the ICT4S community to think about the indirect effects of using AI in research, how to assess these effects, and how to mitigate their environmental impacts.
We invite all academic researchers and practitioners interested in AI and sustainability to join the conversation, both in person and online.
Prior to the workshop, participants are expected to submit one or more examples from their own practice or research to serve as case studies (by completing a quick survey before the end of May). In the first part of the workshop, we will identify the potential indirect effects of using AI in research of the selected case studies by using the Rebound Archetypes tool (design cards to think through indirect effects available here). In the second part, we will discuss the specificities of the different case studies’ indirect effects and work on a cartography of the possible assessment methods (qualitative, quantitative) for each category of indirect effects. Finally, the workshop will wrap up with a discussion on potential actions to be taken by the participants.
Important! Participants are expected to answer this quick survey before end of May: https://tinyurl.com/waidict4s25
This will allow us to identify use cases for the workshop and to prepare the groups.
Examples of use cases:
using AI in research, e.g. using ChatGPT as a writing assistant (to help with writing an abstract)
using AI for research, e.g. developing a Large Language Model to improve data discoverability in large datasets
Previous discussions (e.g., in a first workshop at ICT4S 2015, an expert workshop on methodologies in 2021, and the second workshop on assessing the indirect effects of ICT at ICT4S 2023) addressed the importance of methodologies to develop the understanding of this complex and multifaceted topic. The outcome of those discussions helped identify some key methodological concerns and approaches to address those.
Although no consensus has been formed regarding these impacts, there is a great interest from industry, organisations and policymakers to better understand and refer to the impacts. This has led to the emergence of several initiatives focused on framing and assessing these impacts. Some of the most prominent ones over the last year include the initiativesthat were presented and discussed during the second workshop on assessing the indirect effects of ICT at ICT4S 2023:
The development of an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standard intended to provide a robust methodological framework for assessing how the use of ICT solutions impacts greenhouse gas emissions of other sectors (whether positively or negatively).
The methodology development project of the European Green Digital Coalition (EGDC) aimed to provide practical guidance to practitioners.
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development's (WBCSD) framework for claiming avoided emissions.
Earlier attempts in the same direction include e.g., the Mission Innovation Framework.
As a follow-up to the 2023 workshop, WAID 2024 was aiming to bring awareness regarding recent developments, as well as to discuss and provide feedback on new assessment methods and frameworks in joint discussions.