The article explains that airlines face a growing conflict between their net zero climate goals and the rapidly rising energy demands of artificial intelligence. As airlines and aviation partners adopt AI for operations, pricing, maintenance, and customer service, the computing power required significantly increases electricity use, much of which still comes from fossil fuels. At the same time, airlines are already struggling to cut emissions due to limited supplies of sustainable aviation fuel and slow progress on new aircraft technology. The piece argues that AI driven efficiency gains may help in some areas, but they risk being offset by the carbon footprint of data centers and digital infrastructure. Overall, the article warns that without cleaner energy sources and clearer accountability, AI could quietly undermine aviation’s climate promises.
