Research Illustrates AI's Potential to Reduce Carbon Emissions by Over 5 Billion Tons in Crucial Sectors
In a groundbreaking report titled "Green and intelligent: the role of AI in the climate transition", researchers from the London School of Economics and Systemiq have highlighted the significant role that artificial intelligence (AI) can play in reducing global carbon emissions. The findings suggest that AI could cut emissions by up to 5.4 billion tonnes of CO₂e per year by 2035, more than the total annual emissions of the United States.
The report underscores AI's potential to accelerate decarbonization across multiple sectors. Many AI applications already exist and are being tested or deployed by companies around the world. What's needed now is rapid scaling.
In the food sector, AI improves productivity while minimizing environmental harm through precision farming techniques. Smart sensors and machine learning tools allow farmers to use optimal amounts of water, fertilizer, and pesticides, which reduces overuse of chemicals and lowers emissions. AI also enhances crop yield prediction and food distribution, cutting spoilage and emissions from storage and transport.
In electricity generation, AI manages supply and demand with high efficiency, optimizes the integration of renewable sources like solar and wind, and stabilizes power grids to reduce reliance on fossil-fuel backup systems. AI-driven wind optimization has increased renewable energy value by 20%. AI algorithms also improve energy storage utilization and predict usage patterns, facilitating a cleaner energy transition.
For mobility and transport, AI optimizes logistics by planning efficient routes, minimizing idle times, and reducing fuel consumption. It plays a critical role in enabling self-driving cars, which can further improve road safety and cut emissions. Fleet managers leverage AI to avoid traffic and reduce emissions across transport networks.
Collectively, these AI applications across the three sectors have the potential to slash 3.2 to 5.4 billion tonnes of CO₂e annually by 2035, accounting for roughly 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This reduction would significantly advance the Paris Agreement’s climate targets, showing that AI is not only a tool for efficiency but also a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
International efforts like the UNFCCC are partnering with technology companies to deploy AI and data technologies to track emissions and assess climate progress, reinforcing AI’s strategic value in the global climate transition.
The study also shows that applying AI to three key sectors—food, electricity, and mobility—can unlock enormous environmental benefits. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are building AI tools for climate forecasting, carbon tracking, and energy management. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that adopting existing AI applications across end-use sectors like energy, industry, transport, and buildings could reduce emissions by about 1.4 gigatons of CO2 annually.
Private companies are under pressure to deliver on net-zero commitments, and AI can provide tools to track emissions, meet regulatory standards, and optimize energy use. AI is also critical in industries like cement and steel, where emissions are hard to abate, by monitoring production processes, reducing energy waste, and enabling real-time emissions tracking and reporting.
AI can assist cities in preparing for floods, heat waves, and other climate effects by simulating different scenarios and testing response plans. The European Union and Canada have launched initiatives to support green AI.
In summary, the strategic deployment of AI in precision agriculture, renewable energy management, and smart mobility can dramatically accelerate carbon emission reductions in these critical sectors, aligning with and boosting international climate commitments. AI is not just a tool for efficiency but also a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
- The report from the London School of Economics and Systemiq suggests that AI could lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions, potentially slashing up to 5.4 billion tonnes of CO₂e annually by 2035.
- In the food sector, AI can enhance crop yield prediction and food distribution, reduce overuse of chemicals, and build smart farming techniques that minimize environmental harm.
- International efforts are partnering with technology companies to deploy AI and data technologies for tracking emissions, assessing climate progress, and achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
- In the electricity generation sector, AI optimizes the integration of renewable sources, stabilizes power grids, and increases renewable energy value by 20%, contributing to the clean energy transition.
