Between 2020 and 2023, the surge in artificial intelligence and cloud computing brought a dramatic increase in electricity demand and operational carbon emissions among the world's top tech firms. According to a report by the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU), operational emissions increased by an average of 150% for major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Alphabet. These advancements in technology have substantial energy requirements, which, unless addressed, could lead to critical CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the lack of regulations on AI emissions complicates understanding their environmental impact.
Operational emissions for Amazon grew 182 percent in 2023 against 2020 levels, while emissions for Microsoft grew 155 percent, Facebook and Instagram owner Meta grew 145 percent, and Google parent company Alphabet grew 138 percent.
Advances in digital innovation especially AI are driving up energy consumption and global emissions, said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, who heads the ITU.
The UN agency linked the sharp uptick to recent breakthroughs in AI and the demand for digital services like cloud computing.
Currently, there are no standards or legislative requirements for companies to disclose their AI emissions or energy consumption, making understanding the impact of AI less straightforward.
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