Following the new PwC UK research, which shows that AI can increase global GDP by up to 4.4% and reduce emissions by 4% by 2030, Microsoft adopts an emphasis on technology that stimulates progress in operations, products, customers and data science.
Microsoft President, Brad Smith, shared the company's vision of stepping up sustainability efforts with commitment to prioritizing sustainability across each business sector and involving technology to deliver sustainable results.
"The magnitude and speed of global environmental changes have made it increasingly clear that we need to get more involved, so Microsoft takes the necessary steps to do that," said Brad Smith, Microsoft's president. "First of all, we are starting to act at the company level, increasingly addressing sustainability challenges around the world by engaging our company's strongest assets - our employees and the technologies we have."
This commitment comes as a result of a substantial increase in the company's internal carbon tax to $ 15 per metric ton for all carbon emissions.
Microsoft's internal tax was set seven years ago for all business divisions to be financially responsible for cutting carbon emissions. Funds from this increased tax will keep Microsoft's carbon neutrality and contribute to the adoption of a technology-focused approach that places sustainability at the heart of every business sector.
Other commitments that Microsoft focuses on consist of:
- Building campuses and sustainable data centers, including a zero-carbon campus in Puget Sound, with innovations to reduce carbon emissions on campuses around the world.
- Accelerating research through AI for Earth data science with new data sets and open source APIs for environmental applications.
- Partnerships with existing and new customers to stimulate sustainable transformation with cloud, devices and low carbon solutions.
- Supporting environmental policy changes, including by joining the Carbon Leadership Council to support a framework for including a national carbon price.
In addition, Microsoft has announced, together with PricewaterhouseCoopers UK (PwC UK), a new research showing the potential of AI to facilitate growth, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Analyzing four key sectors, agriculture, energy, water and transport, the report finds that the progress made by AI could lead to a 4.4% increase in world GDP and a 4% drop in global greenhouse gas emissions greenhouse, creating at the same time 38 million new jobs globally.
The announcement is based on over a decade of activity on the subject, including reducing carbon emissions and purchasing more than 1.5 GW of renewable energy, as well as collaborating with clients to promote sustainable transformation and a commitment of $ 50 million for AI for Earth.
