How Google is turning to AI to help address the climate crisis

clock • 6 min read
Google started developing an AI-powered recommendation system to improve the energy efficiency of its highly-optimised data centres seven years ago / Credit: Alphabet
Image:

Google started developing an AI-powered recommendation system to improve the energy efficiency of its highly-optimised data centres seven years ago / Credit: Alphabet

The company is grappling with the tradeoff between creating artificial intelligence services to help with sustainability and the large amounts of energy and water they need

Google's latest annual environmental report published July 24 highlights how it is creating a formidable portfolio of climate action tools that use AI for everything from predicting floods and wildfires...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Technology

'A new era': EU unveils world's first voluntary standard for permanent carbon removals

'A new era': EU unveils world's first voluntary standard for permanent carbon removals

European Commission adopts first set of methodologies under bloc's Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Regulation, delivering major boost to fledgling carbon removals market

James Murray
clock 03 February 2026 • 4 min read
New £21.5m funding offered to boost farm innovation

New £21.5m funding offered to boost farm innovation

Defra says support will move cutting-edge research into practical tools farmers can use to boost yields and curb environmental impacts

Jane Thynne, Farmers Guardian
clock 02 February 2026 • 2 min read
 How IndiNature is using hemp to cut embodied carbon from insulation

How IndiNature is using hemp to cut embodied carbon from insulation

Brian Monaghan, sales director at IndiNature, discusses the firm’s efforts to roll out carbon-negative insulation at scale, and the potential impact of a national retrofit policy

Stuart Stone
clock 02 February 2026 • 6 min read