Google has announced that it will stop developing AI tools for oil and gas companies following a report from Greenpeace which criticised the search giant as well as Microsoft and Amazon. The latest report just shows that while firms may wish to present themselves as pro-renewable energy, if you scratch beneath the surface, things aren’t as rosy as they appear to be.
Responding to Google’s decision to cut these ties with gas and oil firms, Elizabeth Jardim, senior corporate campaigner at Greenpeace USA, said:
“While Google still has legacy contracts with oil and gas firms that we hope they will terminate, we welcome Google’s move to no longer create custom solutions for upstream oil and gas extraction.”
Regarding Microsoft and Amazon, she went on to say:
“We hope Microsoft and Amazon will quickly follow with commitments to end AI partnerships with oil and gas firms, as these contracts contradict their stated climate goals and accelerate the climate crisis.”
According to the Greenpeace report, Microsoft has the most contracts with gas and oil companies and offers AI capabilities in all phases of oil production. The environmental organisation said that if Microsoft wants to achieve its goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030 then it must completely cut out these practices.
Source: CNBC
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