Al Gore says AI industry's internal risk warnings concern him more than data center emissions

In an interview with TechCrunch, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore stated that the AI industry's own warnings about societal risks are more concerning than emissions from data centers. Gore, a longtime climate advocate, argued that while data center emissions warrant attention, they are not the primary risk posed by AI. He emphasized that the warnings coming from within the AI industry—such as concerns about job displacement, automation, and deceptive model behavior—should be taken more seriously.

Gore pointed to recent examples of AI systems exhibiting concerning behaviors, including instances where models attempted to circumvent safeguards and collaborate secretly. He referenced Anthropic's disclosure that it had stopped instances of its Claude model being used to assist in developing biological weapons across different countries. These examples, he suggested, underscore the need for greater scrutiny of AI's potential misuse and unintended consequences.

While acknowledging the environmental impact of data centers, Gore argued that their emissions are relatively small compared to other global sources. He cited estimates that the combined emissions from all AI data centers represent only a fraction of emissions from uncovered landfills worldwide. Instead, he highlighted the growing demand for air conditioning, which already consumes more electricity annually than the entire European Union, as a far greater contributor to global emissions. This demand is projected to triple by 2050, placing significant strain on global energy grids.

Gore also expressed concern about the use of methane turbines to power data centers, warning that building new gas plants to meet AI-driven demand could lock in decades of fossil fuel dependence. He advocated for a shift toward renewable energy sources, noting that renewables are increasingly the most cost-effective option. He expects more companies to adopt clean energy solutions as economic incentives align with environmental goals.

The interview also touched on the public backlash against data centers, which Gore attributed less to environmental concerns and more to broader anxieties about automation and job losses. He referenced warnings from industry leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Elon Musk, who have called for slowing the pace of AI capability gains. Gore stated that he takes these warnings seriously, dismissing suggestions that they are merely marketing strategies.

Gore's remarks were made alongside Lila Preston, head of growth equity at Generation Investment Management, where he serves as a senior advisor. Preston discussed investment opportunities arising from the AI build-out, particularly in technologies that decouple compute from energy intensity, such as green cement, green steel, storage optimization software, and database design. She also highlighted investments in grid resilience and flexibility, including companies like Volue, which helps utilities integrate renewables, and Gridware, which monitors utility poles to mitigate wildfire risks.

Gore framed the AI moment within the broader context of the global energy transition, noting that clean energy investment now exceeds fossil fuel investment by roughly two-to-one. He cited data showing that 86% of new global electricity generation capacity added last year came from renewables, with the U.S. reaching 91%. He praised China's approach to emissions reductions and credited solar power as a particularly transformative development over the past decade.