AI datacentres to need four times more energy by 2030, says report

Fears that the rapid adoption of AI will destroy hopes of tackling the climate crisis have been 'overstated', according to the report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). File picture

The global rush to artificial intelligence (AI) technology will require almost as much energy by the end of this decade as Japan uses today, but only about half of the demand is likely to be met from renewable sources.

Processing data, mainly for AI, will consume more electricity in the US alone by 2030 than manufacturing steel, cement, chemicals and all other energy-intensive goods combined, according to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).