Four Big Tech Firms See Carbon Emissions Rise 2.5x Because of A.I.

A report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN agency, found that the direct and indirect carbon emissions of major tech groups – including Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet – rose sharply over 2020-2023. The main cause is the need to expand artificial intelligence, data centres and high-performance computing infrastructure.

According to the published data, the Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions of these tech companies rose by about 150% on average. Amazon recorded the largest increase, followed by Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet. For Microsoft alone, emissions linked to operating power rose from 4.3 million tonnes in 2020 to nearly 10 million tonnes in 2024.

As AI models grow ever larger, demand for electricity, cooling water and semiconductors accelerates rapidly. This is an issue not only for specialised technology but also for goals around productivity, digital infrastructure and a solid economic-platform strategy.

Some groups have ramped up renewable energy, carbon credits, nuclear research or a shift to chip-level cooling designs to cut data-centre power use. However, the ITU stresses that many net-zero targets still need to be turned into real action, with data verified and independently certified.

From QP Holdings’ perspective, the story of AI and emissions means technology-driven growth must go hand in hand with environmental standards, data management and resource efficiency. As such infrastructure becomes part of commercial real estate, industrial parks and smart cities, developers need to plan early for green power, cooling systems, water management and emissions across the entire operating life cycle.

AI unlocks new productivity, but the long-term competitive edge will belong to businesses that balance expansion speed, energy costs and a commitment to sustainable development.

Reference source: VnExpress / Reuters / ITU. Content compiled and edited by QP Holdings.