AI Matters
Why it matters
Microsoft carbon emissions jump 25 percent amid AI expansion
The Verge AI Microsoft’s carbon emissions went up 25 percent last year
Microsoft's annual sustainability report revealed a 25 percent increase in carbon emissions, totaling 34 million metric tons, driven by data center growth.
Why it matters
The surge highlights the massive environmental cost of building and running the data centers required to power generative AI tools.
Latest brief · Jul 22, 2026