The rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence (AI) is raising concerns over its escalating energy demand.
A recent academic commentary by Alex de Vries, a researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s School of Business and Economics, highlights the potential environmental implications of AI’s power requirements.
According to Alex de Vries, should every Google search conducted over a year utilise AI, the energy consumption would be equivalent to that of a small country such as Ireland.
Moreover, the study suggests that, by 2027, the AI industry’s energy consumption could be on par with that of a country the size of the Netherlands.
Major technology companies have swiftly integrated AI-powered services into their offerings.
However, these AI applications demand significantly more power than conventional software, rendering online activities more energy intensive.Â
Alex De Vries conducted the study, basing it on certain assumptions remaining unchanged, including the growth rate of AI and the ongoing availability of AI chips.
In particular, Mr De Vries noted that chip designer Nvidia is expected to provide approximately 95% of the AI processing equipment needed by the sector.
By estimating the number of these computers Nvidia is projected to deliver by 2027, De Vries derived an approximate range for AI’s energy consumption, falling between 85 and 134TWh of electricity annually.
