Anthropic has joined Frontier, a carbon removal coalition, contributing $915 million to its funding, nearly doubling the total to $1.8 billion. This marks Anthropic’s first climate-related deal, as the company becomes the first pure AI startup to join the group. The move comes as AI companies increasingly seek ways to mitigate their environmental impact, despite ongoing concerns about their energy consumption practices.
Frontier, founded by tech companies like Stripe, Google, and Shopify, has contracted nearly $700 million across more than 50 projects to remove 1.8 million tons of carbon. The organization now plans to fund fewer projects, focusing on those with the potential to remove a gigaton — 1 billion metric tons — of CO2 annually. New contracts will span eight to 10 years, with Frontier emphasizing the need for carbon removal companies to demonstrate a path to government subsidy or support.
Frontier’s shift toward fewer, larger projects mirrors trends at companies like Microsoft, which has been a major buyer of carbon removal credits. The organization aims to contract as far out as 2040, hoping governments will take over the role of funding by then. Frontier said it will scrutinize future projects more closely, ensuring they meet rigorous standards for carbon removal effectiveness.
Source: techcrunch
