On November 24, 2025, the HPSC Lab organized a public lecture entitled “AI and Climate: Does this work?” as part of the 新万博体育下载_万博体育app【投注官网】 of Augsburg’s participation in the Public Climate School. The lecture was well-attended and attracted a broad audience from both the university and the general public.

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The speaker, Prof. Dr. Michael Resch, is Director of the High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS) and Professor of High-Performance Computing at the 新万博体育下载_万博体育app【投注官网】 of Stuttgart. He has led the HLRS since 2003 and is widely recognized for his work on large-scale simulation, HPC infrastructures, and the broader role of digital technologies in science and society.

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In his talk, Michael Resch addressed the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and its implications for computing infrastructures and energy demand. He discussed concerns ranging from increasing hardware costs to the growing power consumption of modern AI systems, and questioned whether current trends toward ever larger and more energy-intensive HPC systems are always the right strategic choice. While highlighting the undeniable usefulness of AI tools, he also pointed out that their current energy footprint is often disproportionate to their productive output, offering several impulses for a more critical and differentiated view on future developments.

The event was attended by more than 60 participants and concluded with an engaged Q&A session, including lively discussion with the audience. A small reception afterwards provided further opportunities for exchange. Thanks to the support of Ioana Lupu, Ursula Wei?, and Vivienne Ehlert, the event ran smoothly, and we would like to thank Michael Resch once again for coming to Augsburg and contributing to a very successful Public Climate School event.