Power-hungry AI is driving a surge in tech giant carbon emissions—nobody knows what to do about it
What is the energy usage trend of AI since ChatGPT's release?
Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) applications has surged, with the amount of computational power used for AI doubling roughly every 100 days2. This rapid growth in AI use has significant environmental impacts, primarily through increased energy consumption, carbon emissions, and water use1.
How have European regulators responded to AI data training?
European regulators have responded to AI data training by pushing companies like Meta to pause plans to train AI models on users' Facebook and Instagram data13. They are working on regulations to ensure that AI systems respect fundamental rights, safety, and ethical principles, such as the EU AI Act, which will regulate the use of AI in the European Union.
What percentage of global CO₂ emissions do data centers account for?
Data centers account for around 1% of global CO₂ emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. This figure is expected to rise with the surge in AI applications, which require significant computational power and energy consumption.