AI could help fossil fuel companies create more emissions
New research finds that by making the fossil fuel industry more productive, AI could help increase carbon emissions by up to nearly 5 percent — vastly outpacing the impact of data centers.
New research from former Microsoft sustainability workers warns that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the oil and gas industry could significantly increase global energy emissions, potentially more than the benefits provided by clean technologies like solar and wind. Published in the journal npj Climate Action, the study suggests that AI could enable the fossil fuel industry to produce more oil and gas, leading to additional yearly emissions comparable to those of Mexico or Russia.
These "enabled emissions" - emissions directly caused by AI's role in enhancing fossil fuel production - outweigh the benefits of AI in developing clean energy sources. The Alpines, former Microsoft sustainability workers, argue that AI-supported greenhouse gas pollution is not considered in sustainability measures within tech companies, which typically focus on operational emissions.
The research uses an economic model to estimate AI's impact on fossil fuel industry emissions, finding potential increases of 1.2 to 4.8 percent in global energy-related emissions. This increase, the paper argues, is more significant than projections for emissions from data center construction. The relationship between tech companies and fossil fuels is described as a self-reinforcing effect, with AI boosting both sectors, making it difficult to address climate targets independently.
Written by urgent.news from Grist's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
