AI Boom Drives Surge in Carbon Emissions

A United Nations report has revealed that indirect carbon emissions from the operations of four major AI-driven tech giants surged by an average of 150% between 2020 and 2023, primarily due to energy-intensive data centers. The report named Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta as the contributors, with their emissions increasing substantially to meet the power needs of burgeoning data centers.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Amazon's operational carbon output saw an increase of 182% in 2023 compared to 2020, leading the rise among the four companies. Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta have publicly committed to sustainability efforts; Amazon is investing in carbon-free energy projects, and Microsoft is improving energy efficiency with new cooling technologies.

The surge in emissions is attributed to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, which is anticipated to further elevate carbon dioxide emissions. The ITU report predicts emissions from AI systems could reach 102.6 million tons annually, stressing existing energy infrastructures. Despite setting emissions targets, many digital companies are yet to achieve significant reductions.

(With inputs from agencies.)