AI Could use 3% of World’s Power by 2030: UN Report

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• United Nations report Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence highlights that by 2030, AI could consume 3% of world’s electricity.

Major Findings

• Water and Power Consumption: AI-related water consumption could equal the basic annual domestic needs of 1.3 billion people by the end of the decade.
  • Data centres could consume 945 terawatt-hours of electricity annually by 2030 – nearly triple the combined annual electricity use of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. 
• Water and Land Footprint: Every unit of electricity used by data centres also carries a “water footprint” for cooling and energy production, and a “land footprint” associated with power generation and supply chains.
• Electronic Waste: The report warns of a growing electronic waste challenge, with AI infrastructure projected to generate up to 2.5 million tonnes of e-waste annually by 2030.
  • Much of this burden is likely to fall on lower-income countries with limited capacity for safe disposal. 
• The production of critical minerals needed for AI hardware also raises concerns about environmental degradation and social inequities in extraction regions.
• Disparities: More than 90% of AI-specialised computing capacity is concentrated in just two countries – the United States and China. At the same time, over 150 nations lack significant domestic AI infrastructure.
  • This imbalance not only limits economic opportunities but also raises questions of environmental justice, as some countries bear the environmental costs without sharing in the benefits of AI-driven growth. 

Way Ahead

• The report calls for urgent action to ensure that the technology develops within planetary limits. 
• The study outlines a framework for a “responsible AI ecosystem”, built on principles including transparency, efficiency by design, equity, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation and sustainable use. 
• Governments are urged to integrate AI infrastructure into energy, water and land-use planning, while companies are encouraged to design systems that minimise resource consumption.
  • Users, too, have a role to play by choosing lower-impact applications where possible. 
• Ultimately, the report argues that the future of AI will depend not only on technological innovation but also on governance choices made today.

Source: UN