Report: Artificial Intelligence A Threat to Climate Change, Energy Usage and Disinformation

Tech accountability and environmental groups sound the alarm on the potential harms of AI to the planet and information ecosystems

WASHINGTON – Today, partners in the Climate Action Against Disinformation coalition released a report that maps the risks that artificial intelligence poses to the climate crisis.

Topline points:

• AI systems require an enormous amount of energy and water, and consumption is expanding quickly. Estimates suggest a doubling in 5-10 years.
• Generative AI has the potential to turbocharge climate disinformation, including climate change-related deepfakes, ahead of a historic election year where climate policy will be central to the debate.
• The current AI policy landscape reveals a concerning lack of regulation on the federal level, with minor progress made at the state level, relying on voluntary, opaque and unenforceable pledges to pause development, or provide safety with its products.

“AI companies spread hype that they might save the planet, but currently they are doing just the opposite,” said Michael Khoo, Climate Disinformation Program Director at Friends of the Earth. “AI companies risk turbocharging climate disinformation, and their energy use is causing a dangerous increase to overall US consumption, with a corresponding increase of carbon emissions.”