AI's arrival complicates Big Tech climate goals. Some worry it's locking in more fossil fuels
The growth of artificial intelligence is complicating Big Tech's climate goals, as data centers consume increasing amounts of power, often from fossil fuels. Despite investing in clean energy, tech companies' total emissions are rising, with Google's emissions jumping nearly 50% and Amazon's rising by 33% over the first five years of their climate commitments.
Data centers in the US used about 4.6% of total electricity in 2024, which could nearly triple by 2028. The rise of artificial intelligence is driving this increase, as tech companies build sprawling data centers that consume more power than entire cities. Google and Microsoft have set climate goals, but achieving them is becoming increasingly difficult. The companies are investing in clean energy, but their total emissions are still rising. Natural gas is being used to power data centers, with over 40% of US data centers powered by gas in 2024. The trend is expected to continue, with utilities planning new natural gas plants to supply data centers.
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