Anthropic has joined the Frontier carbon removal coalition, marking a significant milestone as the first pure AI company to do so. The move comes at a time when tech giants are increasingly investing in carbon offsetting initiatives.

With a new $915 million tranche of funding, Frontier’s total investment now stands at $1.8 billion, nearly doubling its previous pledges. Anthropic’s participation could signify a shift towards more sustainable practices within the AI industry, but it also raises questions about their commitment to clean energy beyond carbon credits.

Frontier was established by tech companies like Stripe and Google to help them meet their climate goals, vetting carbon removal projects that can deliver gigaton-scale reductions. While Anthropic’s membership is a first for an AI company, its approach to energy remains ambiguous, favoring large purchases of polluting power.

The organization has announced that future funding will be more selective, focusing on projects with the potential to remove one billion metric tons of CO2 annually over eight to ten years. This shift towards larger bets mirrors what’s happening at Microsoft, which is already the largest buyer of carbon removal credits.

Despite these efforts, the long-term sustainability of the market remains uncertain, as companies recognize that government support will be crucial for sustained growth and development in carbon removal technologies.