In a bid to power towards an eco-friendly future, the Paris Olympics is set to make history as the first carbon-neutral Games, with a little help from Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding. Their secret weapon? An AI-powered energy-management tool named Energy Expert, designed to revolutionize how electricity is consumed across all 35 competition venues from July 26 to August 11.
Alibaba’s Hangzhou-based wizards have conjured up a deep learning AI model that promises not only to measure and analyze real-time power usage but also to forecast and recommend energy optimization strategies tailored to each venue. By tapping into historical data from past Olympic Games, including London 2012 and Tokyo 2020, Energy Expert aims to offer precise insights into energy-consumption trends, helping organizers plan smarter and reduce carbon footprints.
Ilario Corna, the IOC’s chief information and technology officer, hailed the move as a game-changer in the battle against carbon emissions, emphasizing the tool’s ability to forecast future energy impacts and track progress accurately.
Paris isn’t just talking the green talk; they’re walking the walk with ambitious goals to slash event-related carbon emissions by half and offset the remainder through environmental projects like reforestation and renewable energy initiatives. This commitment includes using renewable energy exclusively across venues and leveraging biofuels and hydrogen to minimize diesel generator use, ensuring a sustainable legacy for future Games.
Alibaba Cloud Intelligence’s vice-president, William Xiong, expressed confidence that Energy Expert will shine brightest under the intense spotlight of international sports, proving its worth in delivering sustainability solutions. Since its launch in 2022, the tool has already empowered over 3,000 enterprises worldwide to manage their energy consumption effectively, aligning with Alibaba’s own goal to achieve carbon neutrality across all operations by 2030.
As the countdown to the Paris Olympics begins, all eyes are on how this groundbreaking AI innovation will not only enhance competition efficiency but also set a new gold standard for environmental responsibility in global sports events. With Energy Expert in their corner, Paris looks poised to score big not just on the medal podium but in the race towards a greener future.
(Source: SCMP | Telecompaper | Alizila)
