UN Chief Urges AI Industry to Switch to 100% Renewable Energy by 2030

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the artificial intelligence sector to power all data centres with 100% renewable energy by 2030.

Speaking Tuesday, Guterres warned that the rapid growth of AI is driving a surge in electricity demand, with data centres consuming the same amount of power as 100,000 homes each.

He said the largest centres could soon use 20 times more electricity than they do today, and by 2030, global data centre consumption could match Japan’s current national usage.

“This is not sustainable,” Guterres said, urging major tech companies to lead the shift to clean energy.

A new UN report shows data centres currently account for 1.5% of global electricity use, a figure expected to more than double by the end of the decade.

Guterres also highlighted AI’s potential to improve energy systems, saying it can drive efficiency, innovation and resilience, but warned that its energy demands must be addressed.

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• UN chief calls for AI data centres to run on 100% renewables by 2030

• Data centres now use as much electricity as 100,000 homes each

• Global data centre energy use could match Japan’s by 2030

Source: CGTN