By 2030 AI Could Use 3% of All Global Electricity and More Water Than All Humans Need to Drink Every Year, UN Says
The study warns AI demand could triple data-center electricity use by 2030 as operational requests drive most power consumption.
- On Wednesday, the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health published a report detailing artificial intelligence's environmental costs across energy, water, and land use. It warns rapid data center expansion could double resource consumption and strain local systems.
- Data centers powering artificial intelligence could consume nearly 3% of global electricity by 2030, with AI's share of data-center energy rising from 20% to 40% and producing nearly 440 million tons of carbon dioxide.
- Inference currently accounts for 80% to 90% of artificial intelligence power use, surpassing training requirements. The report estimates artificial intelligence infrastructure could generate up to 2.5 million metric tons of e-waste annually by 2030.
- Researchers urge governments to mandate standardized environmental disclosures from artificial intelligence providers and integrate demand into energy planning. Reducing word use in prompts by 30% can decrease artificial intelligence energy consumption by 25%, the report notes.
- Artificial intelligence infrastructure could require over 14,000 square kilometers of land by 2030, yet 90% of capacity remains concentrated in the U.S. and China. This concentration creates a widening digital divide, leaving developing nations bearing disproportionate environmental costs.
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UN report warns AI could soon use 3% of world's electricity and more water than we need to drink
One argument often used to quell concerns about the rising energy and resource demand of data centers is that artificial intelligence (AI) models will need less in the future as they improve and become more efficient.
UN report warns AI could soon use 3% of world’s electricity and more water than we need to drink
Amanda Turnbull-McRae, University of Waikato Image: Field Engineer - PexelsOne argument often used to quell concerns about the rising energy and resource demand of data centres is that artificial intelligence (AI) models will need less in the future as they improve and become more efficient. But this seemingly logical thinking is a trap, according to a new United Nations report that quantifies the environmental costs of AI. The report estimates …
Data centers worldwide will consume twice as much energy and water in 2030 as they do now. And the rapid growth in the number of data centers will require raw materials…
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