Google, Amazon AI growth increases carbon emissions

Both Google and Amazon have reported significant increases in their carbon emissions, with their latest sustainability reports indicating that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence operations is a primary driver. Google's total carbon emissions have risen by 25% and Amazon's by 16% over the past year, making their previously set net-zero emission goals more challenging to achieve.

While neither company directly blames AI for the surge, the data points to its substantial environmental impact. Both acknowledge increased energy consumption linked to AI's growing use. The primary contributors to their rising carbon footprints are Scope 3 emissions, which encompass pollution from purchased goods and services, including data centers, warehouses, and the purchase of components like GPUs and memory chips. Google's Scope 3 emissions have doubled since 2019, largely driven by data centers. Amazon's emissions are also significantly impacted by data centers, with the company adding over 1.2 gigawatts of capacity in the fourth quarter of 2025 alone.

The construction and outfitting of data centers, which rely on carbon-intensive industries like steel and cement, along with the energy-intensive manufacturing of semiconductors, are identified as major sources of pollution. This trend is forcing tech companies to potentially rely more on fossil fuels, despite previous investments in renewable power, to meet AI's immense energy demands. To meet their net-zero pledges, Google, Amazon, and their peers will need to significantly increase renewable energy procurement, invest in low-carbon construction materials, and acquire substantial carbon removal credits.