OVHcloud stands for responsible AI use joining the Coalition for Sustainable AI

OVHcloud, a global cloud player and the European cloud leader, today announces at the occasion of the AI Summit that it is a founding member of the Coalition for Sustainable AI. This coalition is a group of organizations committed to using artificial intelligence (AI) to help achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on climate action and protecting the environment.

As a pioneer in responsible cloud, OVHcloud has always prioritized sustainability in its practices. In 2002, the company integrated its industrial model to better control its direct impacts, and the following year developed its proprietary water-cooling technology to optimize server energy usage. This technology allows the server rooms in its datacenters to operate without air conditioning, significantly reducing the overall energy consumption. Given OVHcloud's long-standing commitment to sustainability and its wide variety of AI offers, becoming a member of the Coalition for Sustainable AI was a natural step.

The Coalition for Sustainable AI aims to put artificial intelligence on a more sustainable path. While AI has the potential to help mitigate the effects of climate change, the processes associated with AI also pose significant environmental challenges. The carbon footprint of AI is expected to increase as it becomes more widely used. To ensure that AI contributes positively to environmental and climate objectives, the coalition is taking several steps, including encouraging initiatives that use AI for the benefit of the local and global environment, such as decarbonizing economies and preserving biodiversity. The coalition is also advocating for the development of sustainable IA and infrastructures through the establishment of standardized methods and metrics to assess the environmental impact of AI, as well as conducting comprehensive life cycle analysis that evaluates the environmental impact of AI systems from their development to their disposal.

The coalition is also calling for the establishment of mechanisms for companies to transparently report the environmental impact of their AI products and services, as well as prioritizing research on sustainable AI technologies. OVHcloud shares this commitment to transparency and responsible business practices as it is at the heart of its mission. In 2023, the Group developed a carbon calculator that provides transparent and exhaustive carbon footprint information from manufacturing to the running of infrastructure, including all AI activities. This tool gives OVHcloud's customers a better understanding of their cloud infrastructure carbon footprint and encourages more responsible IT usage across the industry.

In addition, OVHcloud remains committed to building responsible cloud and AI infrastructures.  In a continued effort of R&D, the group is preparing for a future where server racks will require even more energy, and is therefore working on more efficient cooling solutions. The company has developed a new generation of liquid cooling technology: the “Hybrid Immersion Liquid Cooling”. This is a hybrid solution that combines direct-liquid-to-chip watercooling and immersion cooling (complete immersion of the server in a dielectric fluid). This hybrid design has led to the filing of 16 patent applications and is expected to significantly improve the performance of OVHcloud's datacenters as it is integrated into its server rooms, including for racks with very high energy consumption and necessary to power AI.

OVHcloud is proud to be a part of the Coalition for Sustainable AI and is committed to using AI in a responsible and sustainable way. The company understands the environmental impact of AI and is committed to working with other members of the coalition to minimize this impact and ensure that AI is used for the benefit of the environment and society as a whole.

Learn more about the Coalition for Sustainable AI