Report: AI climate claims are greenwashing, conflating machine learning with generative AI

An analysis of 154 statements by tech companies found not a single example where generative AI tools like Gemini or Copilot produced "material, verifiable, and substantial" emissions reductions. Most climate claims actually refer to traditional machine learning, not the energy-hungry chatbots driving explosive data center growth. Researcher Ketan Joshi compared the tactic to fossil fuel companies advertising modest solar investments while their core business drives emissions. The report was commissioned by nonprofits Beyond Fossil Fuels and Climate Action Against Disinformation.

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