143. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department has carried out an assessment of the climate impacts of AI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14504/26]

Sentiment score: 0.31

This Government is probably one of the most pro-AI in the world. The Taoiseach has compared AI to the invention of the printing press. The Government has swallowed the Kool-Aid of big tech seemingly with no assessment of the impact it will have on our ability to achieve our climate targets. I know the Minister has said we are not going to achieve them anyway even though they are supposed to be legally binding. Has the Department carried out an assessment of the climate impacts of AI?

Sentiment score: 0.03

The new digital and AI strategy is not about climate change. I think there are five references to climate in the entire document. It is not about protecting children or artists. It is not about any of those things. It is about a commitment to "strengthening Ireland’s position as a digital leader", seemingly without regard to the negative impacts AI is having in our society. The Minister of State has confirmed the Department has not even done an assessment. The Government's approach is to go full steam ahead with AI. It suggests we have to embrace this technology and do what the big tech companies are telling us without even assessing the impact that will have on our climate. The emissions of all the big tech companies, including Google, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft, are through the roof. Not only are they far off their targets, which are going down, but their emissions are going up dramatically, largely because of investment in AI and the massive energy usage that goes with that. They are also miles off their supposedly adjusted figures. The real figures are going high.

Sentiment score: 0.10

I find it remarkable that Ministers and Ministers of State are still answering questions about climate inaction by saying "Oh, don't worry, we've got legally binding targets." The Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, is sitting beside the Minister who said we are not going to meet these targets, so how can it still be an excuse to say that when we raise inaction by the Government or action in the wrong direction? His senior Minister has literally said we are not going to meet those legally binding targets. He is making a joke of these targets.

Sentiment score: 0.12

The truth is that the expansion of data centres has deepened our dependence on fossil fuels. They have outpaced the renewable deployment. They have strained the grid. They have hoarded power connections. They have built gas generators on site. More and more are burning fossil fuels directly. They have stalled decarbonisation and deepened their dependence on fossil fuels. Sometimes we see greenwashing statements by the likes of Google and others claiming that AI is going to be a net climate benefit and that we should not be worried about all the fossil fuels we are burning as a result of it. A new Friends of the Earth report finds that 74% of claims about AI's climate benefits are unproven, serving the profits of tech and fossil fuel industries while downplaying the major climate harms of generative AI.

Sentiment score: 0.12