Critics argue that Google is deliberately vague about the energy cost of AI systems, which is believed to be significant and growing. Despite Google's green initiatives and a goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2030, its emissions have increased annually since 2020. The company is urged to provide more specific data on AI's energy consumption in future reports.
Key takeaways:
- Google's 2024 Environmental Report outlines the company's efforts to mitigate its environmental impact, including a water replenishment program and the use of AI to optimize systems and predict environmental events.
- The report does not provide specific data on the energy consumption of AI, which is a significant omission given the high energy demands of AI systems.
- Google's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 13% year-over-year in 2023, primarily due to increases in data center energy consumption and supply chain emissions.
- The company aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2030, but admits there is a lot of uncertainty about how this will be achieved, especially as its emissions have increased every year since 2020.