UNESCO Addresses AI's Carbon Footprint and Blockchain's Role in Combating Sexism

UNESCO Highlights AI’s Environmental Impact and Blockchain’s Potential to Address Gender Bias

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into workplaces worldwide, concerns are mounting over its potential to reinforce gender biases and contribute significantly to environmental challenges. Experts caution that without vigilant oversight, AI systems risk perpetuating historical prejudices against women and exacerbating existing inequalities.

Gender Bias and Blockchain as a Mitigating Tool

Lisa Loud, executive director at Secret Network, draws attention to the disproportionate impact of AI-driven automation on women. Citing a study by the International Labour Organization (ILO), she notes that up to 10% of jobs held by women in high-income countries could be replaced by AI—nearly three times the rate projected for men. Roles in administration and clerical work, predominantly occupied by women, are particularly vulnerable to automation through generative AI technologies. Furthermore, the underrepresentation of women in AI engineering—less than 30%—risks skewing the development of large language models (LLMs), potentially embedding and amplifying gender bias.

In response to these challenges, blockchain technology is emerging as a promising solution. Loud advocates for blockchain’s capacity to encode economic rights across all genders, thereby reducing the likelihood of biased AI decision-making. She proposes the implementation of on-chain credential wallets, which would create verifiable and tamper-proof databases of academic and professional qualifications. This approach aims to ensure AI systems access unbiased, reliable information when making employment or compensation decisions. Additionally, the use of smart contract payrolls could automate equal pay enforcement, while blockchain’s inherent transparency and immutability would facilitate public auditing of AI-driven workplace outcomes.

Despite these potential benefits, the integration of blockchain with AI remains complex. Many organizations hesitate due to perceived technical challenges, particularly concerning the management of proprietary data. However, Loud emphasizes a reciprocal relationship, noting that AI can also enhance blockchain efficiency. Reflecting this synergy, countries such as Nigeria are investing in comprehensive training programs to equip their workforce with skills in both AI and blockchain technologies, preparing them for the evolving digital economy.

Addressing AI’s Carbon Footprint

Beyond social implications, AI’s environmental impact is attracting growing scrutiny. UNESCO recently published a report outlining strategies to mitigate the substantial energy consumption associated with AI models. Presented at the AI for Good global summit, the report revealed that reducing the length of AI queries can decrease energy use by up to 90%. Selecting more energy-efficient AI models also offers significant reductions without compromising performance. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman highlighted that a single ChatGPT query consumes approximately 0.34 kWh—nearly 70 times the energy of a typical web search.

These findings underscore the urgent need for sustainable AI governance and responsible innovation. As demand intensifies for ethical and environmentally conscious AI solutions, companies are investing in technologies that minimize carbon footprints and implement emissions offsetting. Concurrently, efforts to enhance AI governance frameworks are underway, with blockchain playing a key role in combating sexism and mitigating economic disruptions such as job displacement.

With both social equity and environmental sustainability at stake, experts and organizations are increasingly calling for coordinated, multidisciplinary approaches to ensure that AI and blockchain technologies are deployed in ways that are ethical, sustainable, and inclusive.