Artificial intelligence is critical for Apple in recycling materials and pursuing its goal of carbon neutrality. Tim Cook explained this during the China Development Forum to which he was invited after inaugurating the Jing’an Apple Store in Shanghai, the second largest in the world behind only Fifth Avenue in New York.
The CEO explained that AI is a fundamental tool for reducing the carbon footprint generated by the company’s activities:
“AI provides a huge toolkit for every company that wants to be carbon neutral or wants to reduce its emissions substantially. […] We wouldn’t be able to recover the level of material we recover for recycling today without AI. I mean, it’s already critical to our calculations.”
Since 2018, Apple’s retail stores, offices, data centers and co-location facilities have been powered by 100% renewable energy, and the Cupertino-based company announced last year that all of its products will be carbon neutral by 2030. Apple Watch is the first to become one, which means that
100% electricity from renewable sources is used for its production
30% of the material used is recycled or recyclable
50% of shipments are made by means other than air
Apple Watch carbon neutral models are currently:
Apple Watch Series 9 aluminum
Apple Watch SE Aluminum with Sport Loop Band
Apple Watch Ultra 2 with Trail Loop and Alpine Loop bands
