TechCrunch is launching a series of interviews highlighting remarkable women who have contributed significantly to the AI revolution. In this inaugural feature, we shine the spotlight on Tamar Eilam, an IBM Fellow with 24 years of experience at the company, currently serving as Chief Scientist for Sustainable Computing.

Eilam's work focuses on reducing the energy consumption of computing, a critical issue in the AI era. Her open-source project, Kepler, helps quantify the energy consumption of single, containerized applications. This pioneering effort comes at a time when AI's environmental impact is gaining attention, with a Goldman Sachs report stating that one ChatGPT search requires 10 times the electricity needed for a Google Search, and AI expected to increase data center power demand by 160% in the near term.

Eilam believes the industry is caught in a conundrum, where AI has the potential to make industries more sustainable, but the technology itself is a resource drain. She envisions a future where computing and AI can help decarbonize the electrical grid by working in tandem with renewable energy sources. However, she also acknowledges the environmental costs of chip manufacturing, emphasizing the need for holistic solutions.

At IBM, Eilam advises teams on sustainable AI practices, such as training models with less data and using high-quality data to converge quicker to accurate solutions. She also highlights the importance of openness and heterogeneity, releasing models like Granite in multiple sizes to cater to diverse use cases and reduce energy consumption.

Eilam's commitment to sustainability is deeply personal, sparked by a software conference keynote on climate change in 2019. As a woman in a male-dominated field, she has faced unconscious biases and advises women to persist in expressing their opinions and creating awareness about these biases.

Looking ahead, Eilam urges investors to support startups that prioritize transparency about their innovations, data sources, and energy consumption. She also advocates for regulations that promote explainability and accountability in AI development, acknowledging the complexity of the technology but emphasizing the need for honesty about its impact.

In conclusion, Tamar Eilam's work embodies the spirit of innovation and responsibility, pushing the boundaries of sustainable AI and inspiring a new generation of women in technology to make a positive impact on the world.