Google Greenhouse Gases Up 48% Since 2019

Google’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 were 48 per cent higher than in 2019.’ That’s according to its latest environmental report.

The tech giant puts it down to the increasing amounts of energy needed by its data centres, exacerbated by the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, AI.

AI-powered services involve considerably more computer power – and so electricity – than standard online activity, prompting a series of warnings about the technology’s environmental impact.

Google’s target is to reach net zero emissions by 2030 but it admits that as it further integrates AI into its products, reducing emissions may be challenging.