AI has contributed to Google’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 being 48% higher than in 2019, according to its latest environmental report.
The tech giant says the rise is “due to increasing energy demands from the greater intensity” of AI computer systems.
Google plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 203 and as it further integrates AI into its products, “reducing emissions may be challenging”.
Report
Google released its annual environmental report this week, covering the company’s progress towards meeting its climate targets.
The report showed Google emitted 14.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2023.
That’s equivalent to the average energy consumption of nearly 3 million U.S. homes.
AI’s impact on Google’s emissions
Google attributed the rise to “increases in data centre energy consumption and supply chain emissions.”
The International Energy Agency estimates a Google search uses an average of 0.3 watt-hours of electricity, while a ChatGPT request typically consumes about 2.9 watt-hours.
Despite the rise, Google says it’s “committed to developing AI responsibly” and that the technology can “play a transformative role in climate progress.”
