For a start, the transport, power and food sectors account for roughly half of global emissions, so anything that shrinks their emissions matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The researchers think AI systems can make inroads in parts of these sectors by, say, boosting the use of renewables on power grids; identifying proteins that make lab-grown meat tastier; and making electric cars more affordable (with cheaper batteries) and desirable (by predicting the best charging sites).<\/p>\n
This could amount to annual emission reductions of between 3.2 and 5.4 billion tonnes by 2035, meaning AI could cut emissions in these areas by as much as 25 per cent. Even a 3.2bn-tonne cut would outweigh the estimated rise in emissions from power hungry AI and data centres, the researchers say.<\/p>\n
These findings are not all theoretical. Google\u2019s DeepMind artificial intelligence team says its <\/a>technology has already been able to enhance the value of wind farm energy by roughly 20 per cent, and cut energy for Google\u2019s data centre cooling by up to 40 per cent<\/a>.<\/p>\n DeepMind\u2019s Nobel Prize<\/a>-recognised AlphaFold model has helped researchers predict the structure of millions of proteins in a breakthrough that could accelerate the use of meat alternatives.<\/p>\n Also, unlike previous studies that have tried to quantify AI\u2019s planet-saving prospects, Stern\u2019s is peer-reviewed and was not done by Microsoft<\/a>, Google<\/a> or any another company that produces AI products.\u00a0<\/p>\n Stern led the eponymous 2006 UK government-commissioned Stern Review that jolted climate thinking by showing the benefits of early, robust climate action far outweigh the economic costs of not acting.\u00a0He remains an influential climate policy voice, even if the world has failed to act on his findings at anything like the pace and scale needed. <\/p>\n Which brings us to the less good news about AI and climate change.<\/p>\n Point one: AI climate tech that looks great in the lab can struggle in real life. Scientists this week claimed a Meta research project raised false hopes<\/a> about\u00a0sucking carbon out of the air, arguing its approach lacked scientific rigour.\u00a0<\/p>\n Point two: AI might be good for the other side. Energy companies say the technology is, in the words of Saudi Aramco, the world\u2019s largest oil company, \u201creally making <\/a>a big difference\u201d to their operations.<\/p>\n This is unlikely to stop because of a larger obstacle to using AI for climate good: money.<\/p>\n Designing an AI system for a company like Saudi Aramco may make a lot of commercial sense for today\u2019s tech companies. Doing it for an emerging market grid operator may not, even if it does a lot more for the planet, as AI researchers like Jack Kelly know.<\/p>\n Kelly is, in his words<\/a>, \u201cterrified\u201d by climate change and was an engineer at Google DeepMind in 2017 when the group revealed <\/a>it was in early talks with the UK\u2019s National Grid about using AI to help maximise the use of renewables.<\/p>\n \u201cThose first few meetings were really exciting,\u201d Kelly told me. \u201cIt felt like we could do something really interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n Alas, the effort was abandoned for reasons that remain unclear. DeepMind declined to comment on reports that <\/a>there may have been disagreement over intellectual property ownership. The UK\u2019s energy operator did not respond by deadline. <\/p>\n Kelly ended up leaving DeepMind and co-founding Open Climate Fix<\/a>, a non-profit group that develops AI systems to cut energy emissions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Its solar power forecasting technology is being used by the electricity system operator in the Indian state of Rajasthan and in Britain,<\/a> where Kelly says <\/a>it is helping to cut emissions by allowing operators to schedule less gas generation. His group is doing other work that promises to aid the planet but, as he says, \u201cLots of things have to go right for that scenario to play out.\u201d<\/p>\n Stern\u2019s paper also recognises that market forces alone may not \u201cunlock the full potential of AI\u201d. What\u2019s needed is what it calls an \u201cactive state\u201d where governments, cities, grid operators or other big players become clients for AI technologies. That argument is compelling. Now we just need to see it happen.\u00a0<\/p>\n pilita.clark@ft.com<\/a><\/p>\n Climate Capital Where climate change meets business, markets and politics.\u00a0Explore the FT\u2019s coverage here<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/https:\/\/d1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net\/production\/384cfd92-a50b-4bce-9d00-ffdbff93b8ec.jpg\")
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