Hundreds of companies have pledged to reduce carbon emissions in recent years. But as the use of artificial intelligence increases, achieving carbon neutrality goals is becoming more difficult.
In 2019, before AI took off, Amazon co-founded the Climate Pledge, which committed more than 500 companies to net-zero emissions goals by 2040. The following year, 90 more companies joined the Better Climate Challenge, which proposed cutting emissions by 50% by 2030. While the goals are heading in the right direction, climate emissions are not, especially now that many of these same companies are focusing on AI efforts.
For example, Google was once considered a leader in clean energy, but now its emissions are increasing rather than decreasing. A new report revealed The company has pledged to reach net zero but its emissions increased by 13% in 2023. Compared to 2019, emissions rose even more – by a staggering 48%. “As we increasingly integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may prove challenging,” the report said.
The company says AI is to blame, because it puts greater demand on data centers that require massive amounts of electricity to operate. The company no longer claims to be “net zero” and says it plans to achieve that now by 2030.
Google isn’t alone. Microsoft’s emissions have increased by 29% since 2020 as it builds data centers to meet growing demand for AI. In its 2024 Sustainability Report , the company addressed the rising emissions, saying, “The infrastructure and electricity required for these technologies are creating new challenges for meeting sustainability commitments across the tech sector.” While Amazon’s carbon emissions are up 1%, its carbon emissions are up 2%. decreased by 3% Last year, the company said it expected to face challenges as it moved toward artificial intelligence.
We’re already seeing the beginning of these challenges. AI tools like ChatGPT require far more power than a standard Google search. And as technology continues to advance and we become more dependent on technology, we’ll need even more power. May 2024 Goldman Sachs Report The study predicted that carbon dioxide emissions from data centers will more than double between 2022 and 2030.
The transition to clean energy is critical, as fossil fuels remain the single largest driver of climate change, affecting everything from extreme heat to ocean currents, air quality, some cancers, and more. With parts of the country bracing for another devastating heat wave, climate change seems like an issue we can’t afford to put off until later.
The massive rise of artificial intelligence has done just that.
Now, tech companies trying to embrace technology while remaining environmentally responsible will have to consider their options.
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