As the climate crisis remains the biggest threat to humanity, does artificial intelligence hold the key to reversing the damage?

Friday 20 September saw over 4 million people participate in climate change strikes worldwide, with 300,000 people in the UK taking to the streets to show their anger around the lack of action from global leaders. Another strike is due to take place on 27 September, bookending the newly dubbed Global Week for Future. Technology and climate change have a difficult relationship. As technology has become more pervasive throughout our homes, workplaces and society, the amount of data we create has spiralled, causing data centres across the globe to now have the same size carbon footprint as the aviation industry. Although some might argue that the only way to decarbonise is to decomputerise, like most of these things, the situation is not quite that black and white.