Google emissions increase by 48% due to its AI

Artificial intelligence is changing the world, but not in the ways you expect.

As it improves global technologies, AI has increased Google emissions by a whopping 48% over the previous five years. 

Interesting Engineering reported that Google’s AI advancements like Gemini consume massive amounts of electricity.

The International Energy Agency says their total electricity consumption will double by 2026.

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That amounts to 1,000 TWh, equivalent to Japan’s current electricity demand.

Moreover, research firm SemiAnalysis says AI could account for 4.5% of global energy generation by 2030. 

Google emissions and AI’s growing environmental risks

Educational website PopSci explains more companies worldwide are developing AI products and services. These artificial intelligence programs require data centers to operate them.

These data centers require huge amounts of energy to run. The website cited other experts regarding the growing trend, such as Amazon Web Service Vice President of Engineering Bill Vass.

He believes “a new data center is being built every three days.”

Global IT infrastructure product manufacturer Enconnex says a data center’s average power consumption has risen to 7kW.

A 2017 Forbes report says US-based data centers in the United States alone used 90 billion kWh of electricity that year.

That much energy would require 34 massive coal-powered plants to generate at least 500 megawatts to meet data center demands.

Consequently, this voracious power demand makes it difficult to reduce Google emissions. 

“It won’t be easy,” Google admitted as it aims for net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Net-zero means reducing its carbon footprint to almost nothing by negating emissions with clean energy.

The surging demand compels tech firms to explore all energy options.

PopSci says some urge governments to postpone retiring fossil fuel plants to meet their energy needs.

On the other hand, Nikkei Asia says more are investing in nuclear power generation and uranium to satisfy the AI demand.