# Scaling Laws: Identifying the Myths and Facts of AI's Environmental Impact with Gavin McCormick

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-lawfare-podcast-745203/scaling-laws-identifying-the-myths-and-facts-of-ai-s-environmental-impact-with-gavin-mccormick.md
Podcast: [The Lawfare Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-lawfare-podcast-745203)
Published: 2026-05-01T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/lawfare/episodes/scaling-laws-identifying-the-myths-and-facts-of-ais-environm
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/60518a52f69aa815d2dba41c/e/69f1327a5531bfee786da8c3/media.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3107

## Resource

In this episode of Scaling Laws , we explore how the "black box" of global greenhouse gas emissions is being cracked open by artificial intelligence and satellite imagery. Kevin Frazier is joined by Gavin McCormick, who leads Watt Time and ClimateTrace, a global coalition that has revolutionized the process of identifying and quantifying emissions. For decades, climate policy has relied on self-reported data from nations and corporations—a system prone to gaps and "greenwashing." McCormick’s work leverages machine learning to monitor every major source of emissions on Earth in near real-time. They discuss the legal implications of "radical transparency," how AI-driven data can be used to enforce regulations and measure claims, and the myths and facts of AI’s environmental consequences. Find Scaling Laws on the Lawfare website , and subscribe to never miss an episode. To receive ad-free podcasts, become a  Lawfare  Material Supporter at  www.patreon.com/lawfare . You can also support  Lawfare  by making a one-time donation at  https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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