Major technology companies like Google and Microsoft are making bold claims that generative AI will be a powerful tool for combating climate change, citing potential applications in areas like energy grid optimization and material science. However, the article argues these promises are largely aspirational and lack concrete evidence or detailed roadmaps. Critics point out that the immense computational power required to train and run large AI models has a significant environmental footprint, primarily through energy consumption and associated carbon emissions. The piece highlights a gap between the optimistic rhetoric from tech leaders and the scarcity of verifiable data or peer-reviewed studies demonstrating a net positive environmental impact. It calls for more transparency and rigorous, independent analysis to assess whether AI’s benefits will ultimately outweigh its substantial energy costs. Read the full article at: https://www.wired.com/story/big-tech-says-generative-ai-will-save-the-planet-it-doesnt-offer-much-proof/