Artificial intelligence (AI) could significantly increase emissions in the fossil fuel sector, according to a new study. Carbon emissions from Google and Microsoft rose by 25% year-over-year from 2025 to 2026, while Amazon's increased by 16%:
Amazon is backing a natural gas power plant that could emit 33 million tons of CO2 annually. The study finds that AI's use in the fossil fuel sector could add up to 1.8 billion tons of CO2 each year:
The researchers warn that AI integration may extend fossil fuel dominance in the global economy, undermining global decarbonization targets:
