Greenpeace Report Puts Distance Between Big Tech and Big Oil: Business Casual

 
After Tuesday’s Greenpeace report highlighting how Google, Microsoft, and Amazon use AI and warehouse servers to support the location and retrieval of oil and gas deposits from the earth for the likes of Shell, BP, and ExxonMobil—helping big oil profit from climate destruction—a Google spokesperson unloaded a bombshell pledge, confirming that the company “will not build custom AI or machine learning algorithms to facilitate upstream extraction in the oil and gas industry” going forward. Separating itself from other large tech giants, Google is reputed for being one of the greenest large tech firms in the world, employing strategies like buying renewable energy to match its use of non-renewable energy. It is Greenpeace’s hope that Google’s pledge will inspire other big tech companies to end their AI partnerships with oil and gas firms as well.

On this snippet of Business Casual, host Daniel Litwin considers the implications of Google’s pledge, setting two monolithic pillars of industry—big tech versus big oil—against each other in a struggle to preserve and/or exploit earth’s resources.

  1. How will Google’s pledge affect long-standing relationships between big oil and big tech and contracts already in motion?
  2. Will this move drive a permanent wedge between the two industries?
  3. What will happen to whole divisions of big tech companies that are devoted solely to capturing new oil business?
  4. Is this just talk—more or less a PR push by Google to ward off retaliation and flack as a result of the Greenpeace report—or will they actually walk the climate-change walk?
  5. Will distancing themselves from big oil negatively impact Google’s core business?
  6. Will increased scrutiny on big oil companies eventually result in a complete restructuring of their business model and their place in our economy?
Bringing thought leadership to your day, MarketScale’s Business Casual keeps you current with the hottest topics and newest trends shaping business today. And for the latest thought leadership, news and event coverage across B2B, be sure to check out our industry pages.

 

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Software & Electronics Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @TechMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

branding
Bonfire Branding: How Solo Stove Sparked a Customer Movement with Liz Vanzura (Episode One)
January 22, 2026

When pandemic restrictions shut down restaurants, paused travel, and compressed social lives, connection didn’t disappear; it moved closer to home. Backyards quietly emerged as important gathering spaces, offering a simple way to be together without screens, schedules, or spectacle. What began as a workaround evolved into a familiar rhythm of gathering. In that shift,…

Read More
customer movement
Bonfire Branding: How Solo Stove Sparked a Customer Movement with Liz Vanzura (Episode Three)
January 22, 2026

As audiences tune out polished ads and lean into trust, brands are being forced to rethink how they show up for the customer. Research consistently shows that consumers rate peer-created content as more credible than traditional brand messaging, and algorithmic discovery is increasingly rewarding authenticity over polish. With AI reshaping how people search and…

Read More
supply chains
Why the Best Careers Are Designed Like Resilient Supply Chains
January 22, 2026

What do supply chains and community have in common? They both deliver value—when managed with purpose. At their best, they show how intentional systems, meaningful connections, and consistent action turn effort into lasting professional growth. This week on Professional Quotient, listeners hear from Nathan Chaney, founder of Supply Chaney, whose insights bridge the mechanics…

Read More
brand
Bonfire Branding: How Solo Stove Sparked a Customer Movement with Liz Vanzura (Episode Two)
January 22, 2026

As people seek relief from constant digital noise, the backyard has quietly become a modern “third space” in everyday life. Outdoor living, fire pits, and at-home hosting continue to grow as consumers prioritize connection, ease, and experiences that feel meaningful without requiring more complexity. Brands that understand this shift aren’t just selling products—they’re offering…

Read More