The large American technology company, Google, reported that it will no longer develop artificial intelligence tools designed to accelerate oil and gas extraction, distancing itself from its rivals Microsoft and Amazon.
The announcement came after a report that documented how the three tech companies harness artificial intelligence and computing power to help oil companies find and access oil and gas fields in the United States and around the world.
An environmental group said that Amazon, Microsoft and Google undermined their own promises to combat climate change by partnering with major oil companies, including Shell, BP, Chevron and ExxonMobil, which sought new technologies to extract more oil and gas from underground.
“Although Google still has some legacy contracts with oil and gas companies, we welcome this indication that it will no longer develop custom solutions for oil and gas exploration and extraction,” said Elizabeth Jardim, corporate activist for Greenpeace USA.
The company said it will honor all existing contracts with its clients, but did not specify with which companies.
The Greenpeace report noted that Microsoft appears to be leading the way with most oil and contracts “by offering artificial intelligence capabilities in all phases of oil production.”
Amazon’s contracts are more focused on pipelines, shipping and oil storage, according to the report. Its tools are deployed to accelerate the extraction of shale, mainly from the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico.