8 WINTER 2025 OREGON STATE ENGINEERING of electrical and computer engineering, this research aims to shrink the electricity footprint of AI technologies. Chae’s work centers on chips built on a novel material platform that integrates computation and data storage, mimicking the way biological neural networks handle information. By employing components known as memristors — short for memory resistors — these chips are designed to compute tasks in memory. This minimizes the energy-intensive process of moving data between memory and processors, resulting in a more energy-efficient operation. “With the emergence of AI, computers are forced to rapidly process and store large amounts of data. AI chips designed to compute tasks in memory can already account for about 2% of all electricity use in the United States. Projections indicate that AI technology alone could account for 0.5% of global energy consumption by 2027, using as much energy annually as the entire country of the Netherlands. As the demand for AI continues to soar, the need for energy-efficient solutions is becoming increasingly urgent. MEMRISTORS INCREASE EFFICIENCY One of the groundbreaking projects focuses on developing an innovative AI chip that could enhance energy efficiency up to six times over the current industry standard. Led by Sieun Chae, assistant professor In a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence and data centers, the demand for energyefficient technologies has never been more critical. Researchers at Oregon State University are at the forefront of research to find solutions, developing groundbreaking computer chips that significantly reduce energy consumption. Data centers, which house critical IT infrastructure for processing and applications, can consume up to 50 times more energy per square foot than typical office buildings. According to the International Energy Agency, data centers currently account for about 1-2% of global electricity demand, a figure that is expected to grow. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that data centers MAKING AI SMARTER ABOUT ENERGY USE
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