The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) has launched the Low-Carbon GenAI Toolkit, a practical resource designed to help the screen industry reduce the environmental impact of generative AI.

Intentionally unveiled on Earth Day, DGC says the first-of-its-kind toolkit is aimed at addressing the carbon footprint of AI-assisted production as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into creative and production workflows.

Developed in collaboration with Decarbonade, a digital sustainability agency specializing in the environmental impact of emerging technologies, and supported by Telefilm, it includes a carbon calculator that estimates energy use and emissions associated with common generative AI tasks, as well as a best practices guide.

“The DGC AI Working Group and DGC Green have been industry leaders in sustainability, and this new GenAI Carbon Toolkit is a beneficial resource for Guild Members and for our sector”, said DGC President Warren Sonoda. “The Guild believes that it’s important to support creatives by developing the tools to better navigate and understand the environmental impact of AI. This toolkit will help us understand emerging technologies in our industry in more climate-conscious and ethical ways.”

“Generative AI is already reshaping how content is developed and produced. The conditions under which it is adopted will determine its long-term impact,” the organization further stated in its announcement. “By making its environmental footprint more visible, the toolkit enables creators to make more informed choices about how and when to use these tools.”