Google is falling short of its “net zero” climate emissions target due to the amount of power required to run its AI servers, according to a report.
Google pledged three years ago to lower its amount of emissions to a total of zero by 2030, but a recent report reveals the tech company’s emissions grew 13% in 2023, according to the Associated Press.
Google cited its server demand as the reason for the increase, pointing out that the power required to run AI processors has resulted in more fossil fuels and natural gases being consumed, leading to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Since 2019, Google’s effect on greenhouse gas emissions has risen 48%, according to the report.
“Reaching this net zero goal by 2030 … this is an extremely ambitious goal,” Google Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt told the outlet.
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“We know this is not going to be easy and that our approach will need to continue to evolve,” Brandt said, “and it will require us to navigate a lot of uncertainty, including this uncertainty around the future of AI’s environmental impacts.”
Google is not the only tech company to see its effect on emissions rise due to AI. Microsoft’s emissions grew by 29% since 2020.