U.N. study: AI could use 3% of electricity by 2030
A new U.N. study says AI might use up to 3% of the world's electricity by 2030, enough to power all 1.3 billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa for about 5.5 years.
That's a huge leap, and it's raising concerns about how much energy and resources these systems will need as they keep growing.
AI could rival UK annual emissions
The report warns that AI's carbon emissions could rival what the UK produces in a year, and offsetting that would mean planting billions of trees.
Plus, AI needs tons of water for cooling and land space, about 10 times the size of Mexico City.
Most AI infrastructure is concentrated in the US and China, which could widen global tech gaps and leave developing countries dealing with environmental costs.
Study urges transparency and energy efficiency
The study suggests making AI development more transparent, focusing on energy-efficient tech, and choosing sustainable options.
It points out that even as AI gets smarter, it often ends up using more resources, a reminder that responsible innovation matters if we want to protect the planet.