AI pushes Google emissions upward

• Google's corporate emissions rose another 13% last year and are up 48% compared to their 2019 baseline.
• That's partly because data centers serving AI and other applications are using more power.

State of play: Last year's CO2 growth reflects the "challenge of reducing emissions while compute intensity increases and we grow our technical infrastructure investment to support this AI transition," the report states.

• But it also highlights ways they're moving to make AI infrastructure far more efficient.
• And outside their own operations, the report touts Google's AI products that cut emissions, such as tools that cities use to improve traffic.

What's next: Google faces a tough climb to reach its 2030 net-zero goal.