AI Datacenters Emit 600% More Than Reported, Environmental Concerns Grow

Tech giants including Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Apple have significantly underreported the environmental impact of their AI datacenters, according to a new report. Analysis reveals their emissions are 662% higher than disclosed between 2020 and 2022, with Amazon also contributing heavily but lacking specific data. The true toll could be far worse as AI technology continues to expand.

Companies have claimed to be carbon neutral by using renewable energy certificates (RECs), which allow them to offset emissions through third-party renewable energy efforts. However, this practice has raised concerns over transparency, as it does little to verify the actual reduction of emissions. Experts compare it to energy “laundering” rather than a genuine environmental effort.

The Guardian’s analysis highlights the vast difference between reported “market-based” emissions and the actual “location-based” emissions from data centers. For instance, Meta’s reported emissions were 273 metric tons of CO2 in 2022, but location-based figures reveal a staggering 3.8 million metric tons. Microsoft, another major AI player, reported 280,782 metric tons while location-based data shows 6.1 million.

As AI continues to grow, experts warn that the environmental toll will only increase, calling for greater accountability and transparency from tech companies to address this mounting concern.

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