AI drives 48% increase in Google emissions
Google's greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 were 48% higher than in 2019, according to its latest environmental report. The company attributes this increase to the growing energy needs of its data centers, which have been further stressed by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI). AI-powered services require far more computing power—and therefore electricity—than traditional online activities, prompting concerns about the technology's environmental impact.
While Google aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2030, it acknowledges that as AI becomes more integrated into its products, reducing emissions will become more challenging. The company’s 2024 Environmental Report highlights that the rise in energy consumption is primarily due to the increased demand from AI-related computing tasks.
Data centers, which house large numbers of computer servers, are key to this issue, as AI systems require a substantial amount of processing power. A recent study revealed that a generative AI system, like ChatGPT, can consume up to 33 times more energy than systems running specialized software.
The report also reveals significant differences in how the company’s data centers are powered globally. Most of the centers in Europe and the Americas rely on carbon-free energy sources, while those in the Middle East, Asia, and Australia use much less renewable energy. Overall, about two-thirds of Google's energy comes from carbon-free sources.
Tom Jackson, a professor at Loughborough University who studies the environmental impact of digital technology, points out that many people are unaware of the energy required to store data in the cloud. He runs the Digital Decarbonisation Design Group, which works on reducing the carbon footprint of data usage. He suggests that data providers, like Google, need to collaborate with organizations to reduce the storage of "dark data"—data that is collected but seldom used. This type of data still consumes significant energy, even when it's not actively being accessed. On average, Jackson says, 65% of an organization’s stored data is dark data.
While Jackson supports Google’s goal of achieving net zero emissions in its data centers by 2030, he acknowledges that it will be a difficult challenge. The increasing energy—and water—demands of AI are raising alarms, especially as the sector is expected to continue expanding rapidly. The CEO of the UK’s National Grid warned in March that AI and quantum computing could cause a six-fold surge in demand for energy over the next decade.
However, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently downplayed the environmental impact of AI, stating that AI would likely increase electricity demand by just 2% to 6%.
