Google and Amazon this week reported sharp increases in greenhouse gas emissions, driven by the frantic construction of artificial intelligence infrastructure that is pushing the tech giants further from their carbon neutrality pledges.
Google's total emissions, disclosed on June 30, have jumped 82 percent since 2019, and more than 18 percent just last year, even though it has committed to cutting them in half by 2030.
Amazon's emissions, published on July 1, have risen 58 percent over the same period, and more than 16 percent last year, despite a pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2040.
Another sign that the problem is getting worse: Both companies now pollute more for every dollar they generate in revenue.
In other words, their emissions are rising faster than their sales — a first since at least 2021 for Amazon.
"Our AI infrastructure buildout is currently accelerating faster than the grid is decarbonizing," Kate Brandt, Google's chief sustainability officer, said in a blog post.
Her counterpart at Amazon, Kara Hurst, likewise said in the ecommerce giant's own report that demand for AI products could "slow us down" when it comes to the company's environmental ambitions.
In total, Google emitted 18.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent last year, which comes partly from its data centers and offices but primarily from its supply chain for chip and server manufacturing and the construction of new centers by its suppliers.
Amazon emitted 80.85 million tonnes, from the same cloud computing activities, plus its warehouses, logistics fleet, and deliveries around the world.
