AI Obsession Obscures Bigger Promise of Climate Tech

The implications for our warming planet of recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence boil down to this: AI offers great advantages in everything from monitoring ice melt and deforestation to optimizing power grids, but it’s incredibly power hungry, which can mean more carbon emissions and more climate destruction.

One impact that gets less focus is whether the AI hype is taking attention and money away from climate-change mitigation. James Socas, who runs the climate-solutions business at Investcorp, the Middle East’s biggest alternative asset manager, says that’s already happening.

“Institutional investors have over-torqued on the promise of AI and risk underfunding, ...