Big Tech Backtracks on Climate Goals

Major tech companies such as Google and Microsoft are finding it difficult to meet their climate goals as their attention turns to competing in the massively growing artificial intelligence (AI) field. While these companies haven't fully abandoned climate action, many have seen their emissions grow significantly over the last two years due to large-scale expansions of the energy- and water-intensive data centers needed to power AI operations.

Moreover, the use of AI to enhance sustainability efforts has made it a tool for "greenwashing": making false or exaggerated claims about the environmental benefits of products or services. Major tech companies have come under scrutiny for underreporting their emissions while touting AI's environmental benefits. A Guardian analysis suggests that between 2020 and 2022, the emissions from Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple's company-owned data centers were likely more than seven times greater than their official reports indicate. In many cases, companies purchase carbon credits to offset their emissions, but these offsets don't match the environmental costs of running massive AI systems. This greenwashing hides the true environmental impact of AI operations behind a veneer of sustainability.

As AI computing power needs continue to fuel the rapid growth of data center construction, planners should ensure that their communities are prepared to deal with the impacts of these facilities.