Why Apple may be the one Big Tech company to hit its climate goals in the AI era
A decade ago, tech companies were seen as climate leaders, moving faster than the rest of corporate America in the transition to clean energy. Now, as soaring data center demand pushes them toward greater use of fossil fuels, these same companies are increasingly cast as climate villains . One analysis of 60 of the largest planned data centers in the U.S. found that they could generate more than…
While tech giants have once been viewed as climate leaders, recent trends show them increasingly becoming climate villains due to soaring data center demand driving greater use of fossil fuels. An analysis of 60 planned U.S. data centers revealed they could generate over 100 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to 24 million gas-powered cars.
Apple, however, has taken a different approach. The company has rolled out AI more gradually and largely avoided the massive data center buildout that has driven the industry's rise in emissions. Much of Apple's AI processing happens on-device using its own energy-efficient technology, and when it uses the cloud, all compute runs on renewable energy - both at its own data centers (sourced with wind and solar power since 2014) and at third-party data centers.
The company's carbon footprint is still largely dominated by its products and supply chain, not data centers, which are falling. Apple aims to cut emissions 75% by 2030, compared to 2015, and will cover the remaining gap with carbon credits. So far, emissions have fallen 60%. Despite its AI growth, Apple remains on track towards its goal of carbon neutrality.
Apple's biggest chunk of emissions comes from its products, not data centers. Last year, the company's total emissions hit 15.2 million metric tons of CO2; half came from manufacturing, over a quarter from energy used by customers with iPhones and Apple Watches, and 16% from shipping products. Apple has made progress, including a shift to recycled materials and pushing suppliers to source clean energy.
The MacBook Neo, for example, uses a recycled aluminum enclosure, recycled gold in circuit boards, and recycled cobalt in the battery, making up 60% of the laptop's content.
However, some of Apple's approaches have been controversial. When it cut the carbon footprint of Apple Watches by 75% and covered the rest with carbon credits, critics argued the credits didn't fully offset long-term impacts. As AI use grows, some environmental advocates question Apple's path to climate goals. Still, Apple insists it's on track, emphasizing progress in reducing emissions despite the challenges.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
