As Gen AI explodes, Brandtech launches carbon calculator to measure its impact

Brandtech releases white paper with Scope3 that aims to measure Gen AI environmental impact and a carbon calculator to help marketers understand their emissions.

New York, NY, 15 May 2025: Global leader in Gen AI marketing, The Brandtech Group, today releases a white paper that examines the environmental impact of using generative AI to create ads and marketing assets. It was created in collaboration with Scope3, the technology company that helps deliver safe, sustainable growth in media, advertising and AI, and was unveiled at the ANA Committee Meeting, ‘Privacy, Policy, and Planet: Understanding the latest in AI Laws and AI’s Impact on Sustainability’ in New York.

Alongside the white paper, Brandtech has created a carbon calculator to help marketers understand the impact of Gen AI use cases and with which they can instantly see changes they can make to lessen their emissions.

Led by Brandtech’s data consultancy business, fifty-five, this is the first report of its kind. This Phase 1 of the study focuses on two common marketing Gen AI use cases and measures the impact against two environmental metrics. Phase 2 will be released later this year with more use cases and additional metrics.

Brandtech Partner and Head of Emerging Technology Rebecca Sykes says: “As leaders in the Gen AI space, we have a responsibility to tackle the challenges that come with it and the environmental impact of using AI is a big question for enterprise-level marketers who will often have corporate commitments to achieve and adhere to. However, you cannot change what you have not measured, so our goal is to shed some light on this currently very opaque area.”

The use cases the report analyzes are static digital marketing campaigns (text-to-image Gen AI) and e-commerce product page content generation (text-to-text Gen AI). By using data from Brandtech’s market-leading Gen AI platform, Pencil, which aggregates all the main Gen AI foundation AI models, as well as conducting independent research, the study quantifies the electricity and embodied emissions associated with these processes. The second phase of the study will expand the analysis to include water and other emissions and will consider additional common marketing use cases.

Alongside the report, Brandtech has launched a carbon footprint calculator for text and image generation use cases, helping marketers measure the emissions of their Gen AI-powered workflows and make informed decisions about their environmental impact.

The Need for Greater Transparency

One of the study’s key findings is the lack of transparency from major Gen AI providers regarding the carbon footprint of their models. Without access to clear emissions data, companies and individuals using Gen AI cannot fully assess its environmental impact.

“Generative AI isn’t just changing marketing, it’s completely redefining what’s possible,” said Scope3 CEO Brian O’Kelley. “But to truly capitalize on this opportunity, we need to be measuring its environmental footprint – this research is building the foundation for us to have data to make informed decisions. It’s also the key to unlocking sustainable growth. Companies that measure and optimize their AI use from the start will build more efficient workflows and see real productivity gains. Having this data, positions marketers to achieve their business outcomes while using fewer resources.”

In addition to the measurement research, Brandtech is integrating technical mitigations into the Pencil platform, which will be rolled out in the coming months.

55’s sustainability director Ludovic Moulard says: “The main environmental issue with Gen AI is not the technology, it’s what we do with it and how we do it. We are convinced that almost all users would change how they use AI if they knew about the environmental impact of their interactions. That’s the purpose of our work here: get a sense of these impacts, make them visible to end users and corporations, and provide simple ways of significantly mitigating them.“

Separately,. Brandtech is also announcing a minority investment in Scope3. Founded in 2022, Scope3 is focused on helping organizations optimize their AI operations by reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining peak AI performance.

The first report and the Gen AI carbon footprint calculator are available now.

Read more >
See our other articles here

Disclaimer - Important

THE WEBSITE YOU ARE SEEKING TO ACCESS IS MADE AVAILABLE BY CHRYSALIS INVESTMENTS LIMITED (THE “COMPANY“) IN GOOD FAITH AND IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THIS WEBSITE IS INTENDED FOR PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ONLY AND IN PARTICULAR IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (“EEA”), THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE ITS RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IS OR MAY BE UNLAWFUL.

Please read this notice carefully – it applies to all persons who view this website. Please note that the terms set out below may be altered or updated without notice. You should read the following provisions in full each time you visit the site.

The information on this website is intended for, and may be accessed only by, persons in the United Kingdom. Viewing the materials you are seeking to access may not be lawful in other jurisdictions.

The information on this website is for information purposes only and does not constitute or form a part of any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or the solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for, securities. Any subscription for securities in the Company may be made only pursuant to a prospectus issued by the Company from time to time that will provide detailed information about the Company and the securities to be offered (the “Prospectus”). Particular attention should be paid to the “Risk Factors” section of the Prospectus which will highlight specific risks relating to the Company.

No securities of the Company have been or will be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act“) or under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of any US person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act). In addition, the Company has not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. There will be no public offer of securities in the United States.

If you are not permitted to view this website or are in any doubt as to whether you are permitted to view this website, please exit this website immediately by clicking on the “Disagree” button below. The contents of this website must not be released or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, outside the United Kingdom and in particular in or into any Member State of the EEA, the United States, Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa or Japan or any other jurisdiction where the distribution of such materials would or may breach any applicable law or regulation or would require any registration or licensing within such jurisdiction. Persons receiving any such materials (including, without limitation, custodians, nominees and trustees) should observe these restrictions and must not, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, forward, distribute or send them in, into or from any jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom. Neither the Company, Jupiter Investment Management Limited (the “Investment Adviser”) nor their respective advisers accept any responsibility for any violation by any person of any of these restrictions.

Basis of access

Access to this website is for information purposes only. Any person seeking access to this website represents and warrants to the Company and the Investment Adviser that they are doing so for information purposes only. Making this website available does not constitute an offer to issue or sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy securities in the Company. Further, it does not constitute a recommendation by the Company or the Investment Manager or any associated company or any other person to subscribe for or buy securities in the Company. The information on this website is general in nature and does not in any way constitute investment, tax, legal or other advice.

None of the Company, the Investment Adviser or any other person has, or accepts, any responsibility or duty to update any information, document or announcement contained on this website and the Company reserves the right to add to, remove or amend any information available on this website at any time.

The information on this website is general in nature and may be subject to amendment and updating without notice. None of the Company, the Investment Adviser nor any other person guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information on this website and each such person disclaims all representations and warranties, whether express or implied, to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law and regulation. By continuing to use this website, you agree to the exclusion by such persons, to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law and regulation, of any and all liability for any direct, indirect, punitive, consequential, incidental, special or other damages, including, without limitation, loss of profits, revenue or data arising out of or relating to the provision of and your use of this website and its content.
Neither the Company, its directors, the Investment Adviser nor any other person accepts any responsibility in respect of any information contained on any other website which may be linked to or from this website.

Use of Cookies

The Company uses cookies to track where you are accessing this website from. For further details of the types of cookie we use please refer to our Privacy and Cookies policy.

Confirmation of understanding and acceptance of terms

Please select your country of residence:

By clicking on the “Agree” button below, you confirm, represent and warrant to the Company that you are located in the United Kingdom and you agree that you will not forward, distribute or send any materials contained in this website to any person outside the United Kingdom.

I have read and understood the terms set out above, which I understand may affect my rights and I agree to be bound by those terms. By clicking on the “Agree” button below, I confirm that I am permitted to access the website.