In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has witnessed explosive growth, while the green energy sector is undergoing a significant transformation. The fusion of AI and green energy is emerging as a key driver of economic development in this new era.The Brief September 19, 2025
Reactions to Kimmel’s suspension, Trump publicly rebukes Putin, and moreEvery three months, participants in the Metaculus forecasting cup try to predict the future for a prize pot of about $5,000. Metaculus users correctly predicted the date of the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks in advance and put a 90 percent chance of Roe v. Wade being overturned almost two months before it happened.One of the top 10 finishers in the Summer Cup, whose winners were announced Wednesday, was surprising even to the forecasters: an AI. Mantic, a UK-based startup that developed the AI, achieved over 80% accuracy.Forecasting is crucial for institutions to anticipate and change future events. However, forecasting broad geopolitical questions can be notoriously hard and time-consuming for humans. Machine learning has shown promise in this domain by simulating human judgment on complex, interdependent factors.The training that AIs receive is showing up in the rankings. In June, the top-ranked bot, built by Metaculus on top of OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model, came 25th in the cup. This time, Mantic is eighth out of 549 contestants—the first time a bot has placed in the top 10 in the competition series.While AIs have an unfair advantage due to their ability to constantly update predictions, they could still be valuable for institutions that need high-quality forecasts across multiple questions. The Metaculus Community Prediction, an aggregate of all users’ forecasts on every question, is one of the most consistent performers on the platform.Integration of artificial intelligence and green energy can pay rich dividends for the economy. Green energy, including solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and nuclear power, represents the future of energy supply and serves as the foundation for achieving China’s dual carbon goals—peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060—and sustainable development.AI is poised to become a fundamental tool in achieving the dual carbon goals. According to the International Energy Agency, the widespread application of AI could reduce billions of metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually by 2035. The synergistic relationship between AI and green energy facilitates technological and operational advancements in green energy while requiring green energy to support its own energy consumption.The convergence of AI and green energy offers numerous innovation opportunities in the energy sector, with several notable applications: 1. Smart Grids; 2. Energy Forecasting and Management; 3. Smart Energy Devices; 4. Energy Storage System Optimization; 5. Flexible Load and Virtual Power Plants; 6. Technology Research and Material Innovation; 7. Energy Consumption and Application; 8. AI and Green Finance Integration.The evolution of smart energy relies on methodological innovation, involving mindset transformation, technical methods, and tools for innovation. It’s crucial to enhance the collaborative integration of various energy forms during production, utilizing technologies like the internet of things, big data, and AI to form an integrated smart energy system encompassing generation, grid, load, and storage.By combining AI with green energy, we can achieve efficient energy utilization and sustainable development. Active response and continuous innovation across society will provide strong momentum for the advancement of smart energy, leading us toward a greener, more intelligent future.