Microsoft invests over a billion dollars in waste, including human waste, to address AI pollution - company plans to inject waste beneath ground as a carbon emissions countermeasure for AI operations

In a commendable move towards sustainability, tech giant Microsoft has entered into a significant agreement with Vaulted Deep, a company known for its innovative approach to carbon emissions offsetting. This deal, worth over $1.7 billion, aims to counter the high carbon footprint of Microsoft's data centers, which consume large amounts of electricity, often sourced from fossil fuels.

Vaulted Deep's unique technique involves the collection and deep injection of organic waste, sourced from manure, sewage, and agricultural byproducts, up to 5,000 feet underground. This method prevents the waste from being dumped at a waste disposal site, thus preventing the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

This is not the first time Microsoft has invested in carbon offsetting. The company has previously made similar arrangements to counter its greenhouse gas emissions. However, the specifics of the deal with Vaulted Deep, such as the exact number of planned waste deliveries, remain undisclosed.

The CEO of Vaulted Deep, Julia Reichelstein, explains that the traditional disposal of waste, whether in landfills, waterways, or on land, leads to the decomposition of waste into CO2 and methane, contributing to climate change and potentially contaminating groundwater with pathogens.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk's company, xAI, is facing legal action in Memphis, Tennessee, for allegedly polluting the air by using under-reported power generators at the Colossus Supercomputer.

In addition to Microsoft, other tech giants like Google, Amazon, Oracle, and others are investing in research for small modular reactors to establish clean energy sources for their expanding data center businesses.

In April of this year, Microsoft also signed a deal with AtmosClear to sequester 6.75 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. The current cost of CO2 removal with Vaulted Deep is $350 per ton, making Microsoft's contract a substantial step towards a greener future.