The Brandtech Group Reveals the Environmental Impact of AI-Generated Video in New Study
New research from Brandtech Data examines how AI video emissions vary across models and production workflows and how marketers can reduce their impact.
New York. 4 November 2026. Brandtech Data, The Brandtech Group’s global data and AI practice, has released a new study examining the environmental impact and carbon footprint of generative AI video, as the technology rapidly transforms how marketers and creatives produce content.
The study, conducted by fifty-five, part of Brandtech Data, and critically reviewed by digital sustainability platform fruggr, follows previous research into AI-generated text and images published last year.
While AI video offers huge opportunities for marketers, the study focuses on understanding how its environmental impact varies across different models and production workflows, and what steps can be taken to reduce emissions. It examines factors such as model selection, video resolution and the number of generations to help marketers make more informed choices about their AI use.
In a case study of a 30-second AI-generated commercial, more than 5,400 text, image and video generations were required, producing approximately 120 kgCO2e – roughly equivalent to the carbon cost of manufacturing a new laptop. Video represented just 17 percent of the total generations but was responsible for 93 percent of the emissions.
The overall environmental impact also depends on how AI is used within the wider production process. AI-generated video can reduce the need for travel, physical sets and multiple shoots. However, as AI often complements rather than replaces traditional production, its environmental impact needs to be considered in the context of the full production process.
The research builds on The Brandtech Group’s longstanding work in Responsible AI, including its Bias Breaker tool, Responsible AI package and previous research with fifty-five into the environmental impact of AI-generated text and images, which led to the development of a carbon calculator to help marketers better understand the impact of their AI use. Measuring that impact remains challenging, however, with limited data available and significant differences between models, infrastructure and energy sources. This latest study extends that work to video, combining existing research with new experiments to give marketers a clearer picture of its environmental impact and practical ways to reduce it.
Brandtech Partner & Head of Emerging Technology Rebecca Sykes said: “The question now isn’t whether marketers adopt AI, but how they adopt it. AI offers an enormous opportunity to transform marketing, but as adoption continues to grow, we have a responsibility to understand and reduce its environmental impact. Responsible AI has to be built into AI transformation from the start, not bolted on afterwards. That means making the right choices across models, tools and workflows, so brands can unlock the benefits of AI while taking steps to minimize its environmental impact. By measuring that impact and turning the findings into practical action, we want to help brands adopt AI responsibly and build better, faster and more sustainable marketing.”
The report sets out practical steps marketers can take to reduce their impact, including reducing unnecessary generations, testing at lower resolutions, refining prompts before generating video and choosing lower-carbon regions where possible.
Read the full report here