Google and Amazon report rising emissions as AI workloads expand

Google and Amazon disclosed higher carbon footprints in their most recent sustainability reports, with Google’s total emissions up 25% and Amazon’s up 16% from the previous year. The companies attribute much of the increase to the growing energy demand of artificial-intelligence (AI) services, which has accelerated the expansion of data-center capacity.

Both firms noted that while renewable-energy purchases have limited emissions from direct electricity use, a larger share of the rise comes from Scope 3 emissions—indirect emissions linked to purchased goods and services such as GPUs, semiconductor components and the construction of data-center infrastructure. Google said its Scope 3 emissions grew by 2.1 million metric tons, roughly doubling the level recorded in its 2019 baseline, and Amazon highlighted a surge in capital-goods emissions tied to new data-center and warehouse construction.

“To meet strong customer demand, in 2025 we added more data center capacity globally than any other company, including more than 1.2 gigawatt (GW) in Q4 alone,” the Amazon report stated.

Analysts note that the shift toward fossil-fuel-based power for new facilities and the carbon-intensive nature of semiconductor manufacturing are complicating the firms’ net-zero commitments. Industry observers suggest that meeting the pledges will require expanded renewable-energy procurement, investment in low-carbon steel and cement production, and large-scale carbon-removal initiatives.