Gartner weighs in on the AI energy question

• Gartner said that AI could consume 3.5% of the world’s electricity by 2030

• The analyst firm suggests that moving to data centers powered by renewable energy could lessen energy demands

• Silverlinings has already started to cover the energy concerns thrown up by AI

Analyst group Gartner is chiming in about the environmental concerns over artificial intelligence (AI). 

The firm is predicting that by 2030, AI could consume up to 3.5% of the world’s electricity. For context, global energy usage tallied approximately 25,500 terawatt-hours in 2022, according to Statista.

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“AI consumes a lot of electricity and water,” noted Pieter den Hamer, VP Analyst at Gartner in a press release.  He said that executives could prioritize cloud data centers powered by renewable energy.

“Gartner’s 2023 CEO survey showed that environmental issues entered the top 10 priority ranking for the first time in the history of the survey,” noted Bettina Tratz-Ryan, VP analyst at Gartner in a recent statement.

Silverlinings is already hot on the AI energy issue, covering both the initial energy worries, and noting the New York Times’ concern that AI could require as much electricity as countries like Argentina or Sweden by 2027:

• AI: The burning energy question
• Yes, AI is an energy hog - and it's going to get worse

And specific issues related to data center deployment:

• Do data centers have enough juice to power the AI revolution? 

We’ll be sure to deliver more info on AI energy concerns as more data arrives.