Google's greenhouse gas emissions rise as it runs AI July 3, 2024

The energy-intensive data centers needed for artificial intelligence are making it harder for tech giants to meet targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their operations (Glenn CHAPMAN)

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Google's greenhouse gas emissions rise as it runs AI

Google is emitting more greenhouse gases than before despite its goal to reach net-zero emissions because it runs the data centers needed to support artificial intelligence, the company has announced.

According to an annual environmental report released on Tuesday, Google's climate-damaging emissions have increased by 48% over the past five years, contradicting its stated goal of becoming carbon neutral for the good of the planet.

Total greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 were 13% higher than the previous year, mainly due to the increased energy consumption of the data center and its supply chain, according to the report.

The increase occurred despite Google's increased reliance on clean energy from solar and wind power.

"Despite the progress we are making, we face significant challenges that we are actively working on," sustainability director Kate Brandt and senior vice president Benedict Gomes said in the report.

"As we continue to integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be a challenge due to the increased energy demands of more intensive AI computation and the emissions associated with the expected increase in our investment in technical infrastructure."

Google is not alone in facing the challenge of powering energy-intensive AI data centers while reducing the generation of climate-damaging greenhouse gases.

Microsoft announced in its latest sustainability report that the company's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 29% last year compared to 2020, as the company continues to "invest in the infrastructure needed to advance new technologies".

Microsoft and Google have been leading the race for AI technology since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in late 2022.

AI is a topic for the rivals, which they address quarter after quarter in their successful earnings presentations.

In the meantime, Google and Microsoft have pledged to be carbon neutral by the end of this decade.

Microsoft has also set itself the goal of removing climate-damaging gases from the air by 2050 and thus becoming carbon neutral.

Amazon, which is also active in the field of artificial intelligence with its AWS cloud computing division, has announced its intention to become climate neutral by 2040.

"A sustainable future requires system-level changes, sound government policies and new technologies," Google's report states.

"We are committed to working together and doing our part, every step of the way."

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