Greenhouse Gas, Emissions at 150% for large technology companies due to AI

The emission be indirect artificial intelligence On average increased by 150% in 3 years. The four technological giants Amazon” Microsoft” Alphabet one Meta They registered an average increase of 150% of the indirect emissions from 2020 to 2023. It is a new report from a United Nations Office, theInternational Union of Telecommunications (THAT).

To date, no legal obligations have been provided to companies with regard to the distribution of data on emissions or about energy consumption resulting from the use of theartificial intelligence. For this reason, it is not possible to accurately define the impact of the AI ​​at the company level on the consumption of energy. However, the data that is distributed by the same companies shows an increase in the indirect emissions of large technological companies aimed at the AI.

The trend is due to the enormous amount of energy needed to feed the data centers. The ITU calculated the greenhouse gas emissions of the most important digital companies worldwide between 2020 and 2023.

• Amazon Lead the ranking with a 182% increase of indirect emissions between 2020 and 2023;
• Microsoft It is second with one +155%;
• Meta third with one +145%;
• Alphabet fourth with one +138%.

According to the analysis, the The energy consumption of data centers has increased 12% every year from 2017 to 2023, Four times more than the growth of the energy bed at the global level.

Lourdes O. Montenegro, director of the research and digitization of the World Benchmarking Alliance, a non -profit organization that is committed to measuring the impact of the economy on the environment, said ::

Large digital companies have the tools and political weight to guide the global transition, but progress should not only be evaluated for ambitions. Concerning and credible actions are needed. This report gives a clear signal for the international community: many companies continue, but the emissions continue to rise.

The Aitu report also shows something Positive data. Of the 200 companies digital thoughtfulgood in 2023 23 of these have entrusted 100% To renewable energies. In 2022 there were 16 of the 200 companies, 49 published their level of climatic reports, which demonstrated a high level of transparency. The number commend have Published objectives on emissions Indirectly result from the offer and use of product chains They went to 110 in 2023.