Gartner says AI workloads drive 26% data center power rise
Technology
Data centers around the world are about to use a lot more electricity: Gartner says power consumption will rise 26% by 2026, hitting 565 terawatt-hours (TWh).
The big reason? AI workloads are booming, and all that computing needs serious energy.
AI capacity constrained by power availability
In 2026, AI-optimised servers will account for 31% of data center power consumption.
Gartner's Linglan Wang put it simply: "AI capacity is now constrained by power availability."
By 2027, these AI servers will even outpace traditional ones in energy demand.
With grid limits looming, experts say smarter cooling and efficiency upgrades are key for keeping things sustainable.