At UN headquarters in New York, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made a bold appeal to the booming AI industry: it’s time to switch to 100% renewable energy. With data centers eating up more power than ever, the UN chief warns that the current path is unsustainable.
Guterres highlighted eye-opening facts from a new UN report:
- One typical AI data center uses as much electricity as 100,000 homes.
- The largest facilities could soon need 20 times more power than they do today.
- By 2030, global data centers may consume as much electricity as all of Japan does now.
“This is not sustainable,” Guterres said. He urged every major tech firm to commit to running all data centers on renewables by 2030.
Yet the AI sector can be part of the solution. AI-driven tools can boost efficiency and innovate smarter energy systems, helping to cut waste and stabilize grids. But only if the industry powers itself with green energy.
Currently, data centers account for 1.5% of global electricity use. That share could more than double in the next decade—unless AI companies act now to make their operations carbon-free.
The UN chief’s call is a rallying cry for developers, entrepreneurs, and policy makers worldwide. As AI transforms everything from finance to entertainment, it must also fuel a sustainable future.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
