Should AI companies pay higher taxes because of their impact on the environment?

Here the focus is on whether AI companies, especially those running huge data centers, should bear extra financial responsibility for their carbon footprint and energy consumption. One side will argue that higher or special taxes could both fund green transitions and incentivize more efficient, sustainable technology. The other side will warn that such taxes might drive innovation and investment elsewhere, distort competition, or be unfair if other large polluters are not treated similarly. The debate connects climate justice, tax policy, and the true cost of digital infrastructure.