Meta is facing scrutiny over the accuracy of its AI climate tool, which aimed to identify materials for capturing carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. Scientists allege the tool used inaccurate data, leading to inflated expectations about the potential for CO₂ removal.
Direct air capture technology requires precise designs tailored to specific environmental conditions. The tool was intended to help engineers find suitable materials for carbon capture in various environments. However, concerns have been raised that the inaccurate data could undermine efforts to develop effective carbon removal strategies. Meta has been criticised for potential greenwashing and overstating its progress towards net-zero emissions.
This comes amid growing pressure on tech companies to disclose the energy usage and emissions of their data centres. Meta's sustainability efforts and investments in renewable energy are under scrutiny as the company expands into energy-intensive areas like AI.
