Gus V

The Corporate Greenwashing of AI as a Climate Solution

Started June 10, 2024

Abstract or project description

In current American society, already plagued by the early effects of climate change, the growing concern for sustainability has sparked numerous movements and campaigns against this ongoing crisis. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology represents numerous beneficial or detrimental possibilities for implementing this technology. Although many individuals care deeply about this pressing issue, large corporations greatly influence the current sustainability models that dominate current environmental action. AI technology itself comes at a large environmental cost, possibly working as a tool to make fossil-fuel-dependent systems more efficient. However, by avoiding backlash through marketing AI as a solution for climate change, these corporations can control the climate change solution narrative, cherry-picking and concealing information about the environmental impact of AI. These corporations have conflated the idea of sustainability with their corporate greed, leading to a lack of real sustainable progress. This paper explores these communication tactics to understand better the current American culture surrounding solutions to the climate crisis. Additionally, this paper also proposes initiatives needed to reach purely truthful sustainability alongside the rise of AI. While corporations market AI as a climate solution, greater public awareness, regulation, and innovation are essential to prevent greenwashing and address the environmental impact of its sourcing and use.