Eco-Business

SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics are among the world's fastest-growing AI revenue companies on the back of surging demand for high-bandwidth memory and AI chips. But such chips consume up to five times more energy per gigabyte to produce than standard memory, analysts warn.

AI has epoch-making potential, but its data centres are being built on the thirst of those who already have the least, academics argue.

A typical hyper-scaler data centre consumes water equivalent to the volume used by 30-50,000 people every day

Exclusive Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara and the Malaysian states of Perak and Pahang were raised as examples by industry leaders. Thai and Indoneisan policymakers also said that current tariff structures are being reconsidered to cope with rising water demand.

As concerns over the environmental impacts of data centres grow, firms including Equinix, AirTrunk and ST Telemedia have backed a new regional initiative aimed at advancing sustainability across the sector.

By Sean Mowbray

By Taejun Kang

By Eco-Business

By Rhick Lars Albay

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World Economic Forum Reskilling Revolution on track to reach over 850 million people

AI promises productivity gains, but without corporate and investor commitment, Singapore risks deeper inequality, higher emissions, and growing social strain as jobs are lost. By Steven Okun, Megan Willis, Noemie Viterale

The resistance to Artificial Intelligence will come from the social disruption it will bring – and data centres will be where that backlash lands first. Investors in AI must ensure that its benefits are shared across society, harm is reduced, and value created locally. By Steven Okun, Megan Willis, Noemie Viterale

Even as governments pour trillions of dollars into roads, power grids, data centers, water systems, and housing, the construction industry has yet to leverage the efficiency gains that AI and digitalisation have to offer. Given how important the sector will be for sustainable development, this must change. By Bertrand Badré and Saurabh Mishra

China wants to lead the climate agenda on its own terms – exporting clean tech and influence, while sidestepping tougher cuts and accountability. By Alex Lo

By Friederike Rohde and Paz Peña

By Mirza Sadaqat Huda

By Fei Fei

By Muyi Yang, Xiwei Xu and David Lo

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EB Studio Our urban infrastructure is responsible for almost 40 per cent of global carbon emissions. Climate solutions need to include the biggest energy guzzlers, clean energy and retrofitting old buildings.

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In the first of a podcast series featuring Southeast Asia's clean energy entrepreneurs, the CEO of Gurin Energy says that Asean countries will be left behind in artificial intelligence and robotics if the region does not connect its grid and deploy renewables at speed and scale.

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