The IEA forecast indicates a sharp rise in the requirements of AI, but said threat to the climate was ‘overstated’

The global rush to AI technology will require almost as much energy by the end of this decade as Japan uses today, but only about half of the demand is likely to be met from renewable sources.

Processing data, mainly for AI, will consume more electricity in the US alone by 2030 than manufacturing steel, cement, chemicals and all other energy-intensive goods combined, according to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Global electricity demand from datacentres will more than double by 2030, according to the report. AI will be the main driver of that increase, with demand from dedicated AI datacentres alone forecast to more than quadruple.

One datacentre today consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, but some of those currently under construction will require 20 times more.

  • HellsBelleOPEnglish
    1·
    2 days ago

    The article mentions those items once (2nd paragraph).

    The balance of the article discusses the energy requirements AI will need in the coming years.

    • Eheran@lemmy.worldEnglish
      12·
      2 days ago

      It is like comparing electricity use of trucks and ships to trains to make them look good/bad. They run on fuel, not electricity, that number is simply useless.