How AI could help the climate

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Economist or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Concerns are growing over artificial intelligence’s rising electricity demand, with AI tasks consuming far more energy than traditional computing
• Google’s emissions jumped nearly 50% from 2019 to 2023, and Microsoft’s by 30% since 2020, driven by AI expansion
• Yet, according to The Economist, fears may be overstated—and AI could become a critical enabler of decarbonisation in some of the most difficult-to-abate sectors

🔭 The context: AI’s footprint has drawn scrutiny amid a global push for digital sustainability
• But the energy use of large language models, though significant per query, still represents a small share of total electricity use
• Meanwhile, AI’s potential in climate action is growing, particularly in industries like heavy manufacturing, shipping, and agriculture—where emissions are difficult to cut through conventional means

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: AI can accelerate emissions reductions by optimising complex systems
• In heavy industry, it enables more efficient energy use and predictive maintenance
• In agriculture, it supports precision farming to reduce fertilizer use and water consumption
• AI is also proving useful in climate modelling, battery material discovery, and carbon capture design—making it a valuable tool for climate innovation if powered by clean energy

⏭️ What's next: Policy and investment must now focus on guiding AI’s deployment toward climate-positive outcomes
• This includes integrating renewable energy into data centers, applying AI to grid balancing, and encouraging its use in sectors with high emissions intensity
• Tech companies will be pressed to report AI-related emissions transparently and invest in offsets or reductions aligned with science-based targets

💬 One quote: “AI’s carbon cost is real—but its climate potential is far greater if directed wisely,” notes a senior researcher at the Centre for AI and Climate

📈 One stat: A single ChatGPT query can consume 10x more energy than a traditional search engine query—highlighting the importance of clean AI infrastructure

See here detailed sustainability performance of companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and DeepSeek 

Click for more news covering the latest on climate change mitigation