COP31 host Türkiye launches pledge on AI's energy use as UN climate chief warns Big Tech is 'on thin ice'
Turkey's COP31 presidency has launched a pledge on how AI is powered and governed in climate action, as UN climate chief Simon Stiell warns tech companies' energy demands threaten their credibility.
Türkiye's COP31 presidency has launched the "Antalya Pledge on AI," a political commitment addressing how artificial intelligence is designed, procured, powered, deployed, measured and managed in the context of climate action, Climate Home News reported.
COP31 president Murat Kurum said governments need to start setting terms on AI's growing energy consumption, calling for corporate transparency on how much power AI systems use and whether that power comes from renewable sources. UN climate chief Simon Stiell went further, warning that AI companies face a credibility problem as their energy demands push up fossil-fuel use and drive up electricity costs for households and businesses.
The stakes are significant: the International Energy Agency projects data-center greenhouse gas emissions will more than double between 2024 and 2030, with the sector on track to consume more electricity than all but five countries by decade's end. In the United States, AI expansion is fueling new fossil-gas investment, while coal still supplies roughly 70% of data-center electricity in China.
Beyond the pledge, the COP31 presidency also plans to launch an "AI for Clean Technologies" initiative, which will fund AI-enabled pilot projects in areas like smart energy grids and green industry meant to demonstrate more responsible uses of the technology.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by an editor before publication.
