Big tech’s lofty climate goals wrecked by energy-hungry AI

Net-zero pledges of Google and Amazon slip out of reach, and struggling Meta makes frantic moves Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery, the Guardian’s US tech editor, writing to you after a rodeo in rural Texas, where I celebrated Independence Day. Today in tech, we’re discussing how tech giants’ investments in AI are hindering their pledges of climate neutrality, Meta’s frantic search for new lines of business, and Americans’ anger at tech’s political influence. Revealed: landmark Scottish AI project has no prospect of meeting renewables promise US residents angry at datacenters ‘being shoved down our throats’ are recalling officials Americans disgusted at Trump earning $1bn from crypto as president: ‘Obviously a grift’ Tesla sales surpass expectations for second quarter as Musk backlash seems to cool 3,000% bonuses but a growing wealth divide: South Korea grapples with its AI chip boom China wants to solve the hardest problem in robotics – making hands What are Britain’s AI growth zones – and are the plans feasible or ‘complete bunk’? Continue reading...