Energy Consumption and Sustainability of Digital Activities Calling Improvement of Microelectronics Technologies and Human Skills

The Internet of Things (IoT), connected objects, computing techniques and artificial intelligence (AI) have been evolving rapidly for over twenty years. The rapid development of AI in a wide range of promising applications is also leading to a considerable increase in the amount of data being transferred and processed. The result is an exponential increase in electrical energy consumption for processing microelectronic equipment as a physical medium, which can lead to gridlock in less than ten years. This equipment is made up of components, electronic circuits and systems with a wide range of functions, all of which require electrical energy to manufacture, and also a broad variety of materials and natural resources. Research, development and innovation are therefore essential, but so are human resources. This document discusses the various aspects of the electronics field that need to be improved, and the nature of the skills and competencies of the future players that need to be trained.