Year: 2024
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Software sustainability is emerging as a primary concern, aiming to optimize resource utilization, minimize environmental impact, and promote a greener, more resilient digital ecosystem. The sustainability or 'greenness' of software is typically determined by the adoption of sustainable coding practices. With a maturing ecosystem around generative AI, many software developers now rely on these tools to generate code using natural language prompts. Despite their potential advantages, there is a significant lack of studies on the sustainability aspects of AI-generated code. Specifically, how environmentally friendly is the AI-generated code based upon its adoption of sustainable coding practices? In this paper, we present the results of an early investigation into the sustainability aspects of AI-generated code across three popular generative AI tools --- ChatGPT, BARD, and Copilot. The results highlight the default non-green behavior of tools for generating code, across multiple rules and scenarios. It underscores the need for further in-depth investigations and effective remediation strategies.
Institution: Accenture (United States)
Language: English
Topic: Green IT and Sustainability
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4401078543