Publish at May 22 2024 Updated May 22 2024
Every moment of questioning leads to a next step, a discovery, a new way of looking at things. This can be anxiety-provoking or reassuring, depending on your point of view. It seems hard to be against innovation; these salutary leaps in technology or science help to improve the lives of millions of us... in theory.
Because, in practice, these technologies, which are so helpful, wreak havoc on our planet. Open-air waste dumps in poorer countries, the mass of plastic in the ocean, the alarming warming of global temperatures - all these are the result of constant progress that benefits a limited percentage of people. We may have been able to turn a blind eye to the situation for a few decades, but it's impossible to look away now. Computers, smartphones, the Internet, cars and many other products all contribute negatively to our ecological footprint.
So, what can we do? Go back to more archaic methods of production or communication? This will be difficult to achieve at a time when the undeniable advantages of digital technology are becoming apparent in so many areas. What if the solution lay in greater frugality?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the latest examples of the importance of reviewing the energy consumption of technologies. Indeed, while their presence has been felt in the landscape since the use of algorithms by social networks, their use has amplified more than ever with the advent of conversational robots or image creators like Midjourney or Dall-E. Of course, the necessary infrastructure requires high power consumption and, ipso facto, more pollution. Training GPT-3 on machines required 190,000 kilowatts per hour, equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions of 700,000 kilometers by car.
With this data in mind, the artificial intelligence community is thinking about frugality. But it's not just ecological issues that are driving the adoption of frugal AI. Economic and efficiency issues are at the heart of Silicon Valley thinkers, among others. Indeed, one way of improving the eco-responsibility of this technology is to reduce infrastructure. Some are proposing the decentralization of storage centers to create smaller, local ones that consume fewer resources.
Others are really thinking in terms of learning models. For the time being, those in use are far too big, on the pretext of efficiency and relevance. However, a more sober approach would require more thought to be given to the structure in which the algorithm learns, in order to reduce gargantuan energy requirements. On the other hand, this must be done in a context where it does not undermine the robustness of AI security. This will require the cooperation of many different specialties. While the question of frugal AI is on many lips because of the ChatGPTs and Geminis of this world, it cannot be the only innovation to gain in frugality.
The whole question of frugal innovation is spreading to other fields of progress, fortunately. Particularly in a world of high inflation, many industries have realized that one-upmanship is no longer an option. In India, for example, a water purifier has been developed that needs neither running water nor electricity to operate, and in Europe, the Renault-Nissan alliance has led to the creation of a car that is more sober in its design without neglecting safety or functionality.
One of the misgivings about frugality is that it will lead to sub-standard products. This is false, and a growing body of experience tends to demonstrate the opposite. Particularly in less privileged areas of the world, whether in Africa, Asia or South America. Innovators are succeeding in meeting needs by using local elements and reducing dependence on petroleum products, among other things. As theorist Navi Radjou reminds us, the idea is to keep things as simple as possible by thinking and acting horizontally, in other words, by decentralizing ways of doing things. This workshop, for example, uses a fresco to help companies, communities and organizations rethink things with this philosophy in mind.
In fact, the school environment can be a great place to initiate frugal innovation. Already, she can teach it in various courses, particularly to future engineers. By exposing them to this approach and asking them to carry out work with this in mind, they'll be able to see how it can also be applied to their future careers. They'll be able to offer eco-responsible technological solutions that are just as effective, if not more so, than conventional measures.
Primary and secondary schools, for their part, can adopt a more frugal approach by taking their cue from what's being done elsewhere, including this report showing what's being done in Morocco. The use of recycled materials for teaching aids and teaching aids, field trips in the vicinity of the school and partnerships with local organizations are just some of the methods used to reduce the ecological footprint of education.
Image: tomert / DepositPhotos
References :
"Adopting frugal AI: concepts, levers and initiatives." France-Science. Last updated: September 7, 2023.
https://france-science.com/adopter-lia-frugale-concepts-leviers-et-initiatives/.
"Adopting frugal AI: motivations." France-Science. last updated December 28, 2023.
https://france-science.com/adopter-lia-frugale-les-motivations/.
"Polytechnique engineering students confronted with the design of innovative technologies." École Polytechnique. last updated December 14, 2023. https://www.polytechnique.edu/actualites/des-eleves-ingenieurs-polytechniciens-confrontes-au-design-des-technologies-innovantes.
El Ganbour, Rachid, Samira Elouelji, Morad El Ganbour, and Kawtar Tahmoun. "Frugal innovation in education: an innovative, responsible and inclusive system." Mediations Et Médiatisations. last updated October 30, 2023. https://revue-mediations.teluq.ca/index.php/Distances/article/view/363.
"Frugal innovation: why low cost doesn't have to mean low impact." Nature. Last updated December 6, 2023.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03816-7.
Hussain, Tanveer. "Frugal innovation: a guide to doing more with less." Innovate Now. last updated April 1, 2024.
https://innovatenow.app/frugal-innovation-a-guide-to-doing-more-with-less/.
Koppe, Martin. "The challenges of frugal AI." CNRS Le Journal. last updated November 24, 2023.
https://lejournal.cnrs.fr/articles/les-defis-dune-ia-frugale.
La Fresque De l'Innovation Frugale. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://lafresquedelinnovationfrugale.com/.
Ménissier, Thierry. "Can AI really be frugal?" The Conversation. last updated May 13, 2024.
https://theconversation.com/lia-peut-elle-vraiment-etre-frugale-226274.
Peureux, Eliott. "Navi Radjou: 'Frugal innovation creates more economic and social value while using minimal resources'." Red Social Innovation. last updated December 14, 2023. https://red-social-innovation.com/fr/navi-radjou-innovation-frugale-valeur-sociale-minimum-de-ressources/.
"It is possible to move towards a more frugal AI." INSA Lyon. last updated March 16, 2023.
https://www.insa-lyon.fr/fr/actualites/il-est-possible-d-aller-vers-ia-plus-frugale.
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