How much energy do data centers and artificial intelligence use?
This article from Our World in Data analyzes the energy consumption of data centers and artificial intelligence (AI). According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data centers consumed approximately 485 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2025, equivalent to 1.5% of global electricity generation. AI-focused data centers accounted for about one-third of this total, or 0.5% of global electricity. The article notes that AI energy demand is dominated by inference (running models) rather than training. Projections indicate that by 2030, data center electricity use could rise to 945 TWh (3% of global electricity), with AI centers nearly tripling their share. The analysis addresses three key concerns: environmental impact (carbon emissions), local community effects (grid strain and price increases), and potential bottlenecks for AI expansion. The data excludes cryptocurrency mining and end-user device energy.
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