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The green promise of AI — and its hidden costs for Canada

14 6
yesterday

Artificial intelligence is no longer just powering apps or chatbots — it is already shaping how Canadians heat their homes, ship their goods, grow their food and safeguard their ecosystems. For a country racing against the climate clock, AI offers sharper tools to cut emissions, conserve resources and adapt to a warming world. But alongside that promise are hidden costs we must confront before declaring AI a “green solution.”

In the resource sector, AI is beginning to move the needle. Vancouver’s MineSense uses smart sensors to sort ore with unprecedented accuracy, slashing energy waste in one of Canada’s most carbon-intensive industries. On farms, Winnipeg’s Croptimistic Technology gives producers precision maps that show exactly where to irrigate or fertilize, saving water and reducing runoff.

Beyond land, AI is being trained to protect water and forests. Montreal’s Blue Lion Labs has built systems to monitor fish health and water quality, while wildfire-prediction models from FireAI Technologies are helping provinces anticipate blazes before they spiral out of control. These tools could become lifelines as climate shocks intensify.

Even in sectors........

© National Observer