AI, Energy, and Environmental Responsibility: A Discourse Analysis of Corporate Sustainability Narratives

Abstract

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has raised concerns about its environmental impact. AI systems require large amounts of computing power which leads to high energy consumption, including electricity and water, and produces a significant amount of carbon emissions. As AI continues to advance, it is crucial to examine how companies in the AI industry communicate their environmental responsibilities, especially considering the substantial ecological toll that AI technology can impose. My study focuses on investigating how leading AI companies and their executives talk about environmental responsibility in public communications. Specifically, it explores whether these companies demonstrate genuine commitments to sustainability or engage in greenwashing—using misleading claims to appear environmentally friendly while avoiding meaningful actions. By reviewing corporate communication materials such as sustainability reports, public interviews, social media posts, and official website content, this research aims to understand how AI companies present their environmental efforts and whether their rhetoric matches their actions. For this research, I have selected four major AI companies. The companies are Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and xAI. These companies are recognized as leaders in the AI field, and their public communication will serve as the primary focus of this analysis.