Google and Microsoft hit by fresh criticism of their AI data center plans
Big Tech firms are destroying the environment in a quest for further AI gains, critics claim.
Google and Microsoft are facing fresh criticism over their plans to build AI data centers. Critics argue that Google's recent actions, including the destruction of 300 hectares of Finnish forest, highlight the disconnect between their environmental claims and actual practices. Hanna Halmeenpää, chair of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, expressed concern that logged areas should have been preserved.
Microsoft's attempts to blend its data centers with local areas by restoring wetlands and gardens have also drawn criticism, with some calling it "lipstick on a pig." Adrian Shelley, Texas director at Public Citizen, noted that Microsoft's data centers would be powered by gas plants, further raising environmental concerns. Microsoft's own estimates suggest emissions increased by 25% in 2025 due to infrastructure expansion.
Big Tech firms often tout their environmental credentials, but these recent actions raise doubts about their sincerity. Citizens are increasingly pushing back against data center expansion, citing noise pollution and environmental degradation. As long as there are financial incentives for AI expansion, these clashes are likely to persist.
Written by urgent.news from TechRadar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
