Google points to artificial intelligence and demand it puts on energy-hungry data centres for its growth in emissions.

The company has made one of industry’s most significant climate commitments and has been seen as a leader.

Rather than declining, its emissions grew 13 percent in 2023 over the year before. Compared with its baseline year of 2019, emissions have soared 48 percent.

Google cited artificial intelligence and the demand it puts on data centres, which require massive amounts of electricity, for last year’s growth.