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Sustainable AI: Pursuing Computational Efficiency and Environmental Harmony

Abstract: The panel aims to foster a critical and insightful discussion on the sustainable development of AI, examining both the ethical and environmental implications of its widespread use and the strategies to ensure its responsible growth and integration into society. The following key topics will be addressed in this panel include:

  • Sustainable AI Infrastructure: Given the exponential expansion of data storage and the computational demands of AI, it’s important to monitor and optimize energy consumption at various layers of the full AI stack.
  • Environmental Impact, Standard and Assessment: We’ll discuss the relationship between AI and environmental impact including how AI impacts environment, how to measure and assess the impact, and how AI can help address environmental challenges.
  • Ethical Consideration of AI: The confluence of privacy, bias mitigation, and equitable decision-making in AI necessitates a robust ethical framework and technologies. The panel will discuss and share real-world practices.

We expect to trigger wider interest and considerations of sustainability aspect of AI and exchange ideas, insights, case studies, and the latest findings. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the conversation, asking questions and contributing to the dialogue on shaping a sustainable AI landscape.

Panellist

Fanjing Meng

CTO, IBM China Systems Lab, China

Dr. Fanjing Meng is an STSM and CTO of IBM China Systems Lab (CSL). She has 20+ years research experience in various areas including Full-Stack Sustainability Optimization, AIOps (AI for Cloud/IT operations), IT Operations Analytics (ITOA), Cloud Computing, Software/Solution Engineering, Project Portfolio Management and Optimization (PPMO), Cloud Migration, Enterprise Knowledge Extraction and Management, Model driven Business Transformation, Computer Integrated Manufacturing System (CIMS). She is now working with CSL technical leaders to drive product/technology innovations, increase technical eminence, and develop technical skills and talents for the lab. Meanwhile, she is serving as TPC chair and members for Top international conferences and a reviewer of international journals. She has published 30+ papers and received the “Best Paper Award” from IEEE CLOUD 2013. She has 50+ patents and patent applications in various innovation areas.

Shuguang Qi

Professor in Engineering and Vice chief Engineer of China Communication Technology Labs-Systems of CAICT (China Academy of Information and Communication Technology) of MIIT, China

Shuguang Qi graduated from Beijing university of posts and telecommunications in 2007 and holds a master’s degree in computer science. She has been working in the field of green and low carbon ICT for more than 10 years. Currently she is the Vice Chief Engineer of China Telecommunication Technology Labs (systems) in China Academy of Information and Communication Technology (CAICT) and professor in Engineering. Her focuses include fundamental Research, prospective study and standardization work in sustainable development and carbon Neutrality. She is also Vice Chair of ITU-T Study Group 5; Chair of the ITU-T Study Group 5 Asia pacific regional group; and Chair of Working Group 1 / Technical Committee 4(Power and environment for ICT) in China Communication Standardization Association (CCSA). She is also very active in IEC TC22 and IEC SyC LVDC. She developed around 20 Recommendations as a chief editor in ITU such as ITU-T L.1210, ITU-T L.1380 series Recommendation on sustainable development. Moreover, she developed more than 20 Chinese standards including National standards, industrial standard, and regional standards. She has got first prize scientific rewards from China Institute of Communications and first prize scientific reward from CCSA.

Chao Li

Professor and Director of Sustainable Architecture and Infrastructure Lab, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), China

Dr. Chao Li is currently a Full Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and he holds the Sun Yong Qiang Young Professorship in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Dr. Li is broadly interested in computer architecture design with an emphasis on scalability and sustainability. He is a recipient of the University of Florida’s Gator Engineering Recognition Award (2010), the Yahoo! Key Scientific Challenge Award in Green Computing (2012), the Facebook Fellowship (2013), the Intel Young Faculty Research Award (2016), and the China Computer Federation Young Elite Scientists Award in 2017. He has also received the IEEE TCSC Award for Excellence in Scalable Computing (Early Career) in 2018. Dr. Li has published over 90 technical papers on important conferences/journals, and he has received the IEEE HPCA Best Paper Award in 2011 and the IEEE ICCD Best Paper Award in 2018. He is also an inventor on over 15 Chinese and international patents, several of which have been adopted by the industry. Dr. Li has served as Associated Editor of IEEE Transactions of Computers, Program Co-Chair of the 39th IEEE International Symposium of Reliable Distributed Systems (SRDS 2020) and has served on numerous program committees. Dr. Li is currently the vice Chair of the China Computer Federation Technical Committee on Computer Architecture (CCF TCARCH). He earned his BS degree from Zhejiang University in 2009, and his PhD degree from the University of Florida in 2014. He is a senior member of IEEE and ACM.