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POWER HUNGRY AI
Powering the AI Boom: Why the Future of Artificial Intelligence Depends on Energy Innovation
With AI consuming more power than ever, the race is on to build resilient, renewable-powered data infrastructure
Artificial intelligence (AI) has swiftly moved from a peripheral technology to the core engine of economic productivity and digital transformation. It now drives investment strategies, redefines employment landscapes, and underpins entire business models. But behind the sleek, intelligent outputs of generative models, recommendation systems, and autonomous algorithms lies an infrastructure burden that is becoming impossible to ignore: energy consumption.
AI’s Insatiable Appetite
According to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the world’s data centers consumed an estimated 500 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2023 alone. That figure — more than double the average annual levels recorded between 2015 and 2019 — is a direct consequence of the exponential growth of AI workloads. OPEC further warns that this demand could triple to 1,500 TWh by 2030, a load approaching the total electricity consumption of Japan.
