AXIOS (Amy Harder) - AI could help unlock more oil — and emissions
Move over, data centers. AI's climate impact may extend well beyond the electricity it consumes. Why it matters: A new peer-reviewed study finds AI could help produce more oil and natural gas — and produce a climate impact the authors argue could far outweigh the technology's benefits for renewable energy. Driving the news: The research, just published in a Nature journal, concludes AI's role in boosting oil and gas production would outweigh its climate benefits from accelerating renewable energy, leading to a net increase in emissions under a range of scenarios. - The study is among the first to estimate how AI-driven gains in fossil fuel production could affect global emissions. "Most assessments of AI's climate impact are framed as…