Recently, Goldman Sachs Research released a new report indicating that by 2030, the power demand of data centers is expected to increase by 160%, primarily driven by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. It is well known that AI requires significant computational resources, especially when performing complex searches, where the required bandwidth and power far exceed our expectations.
Image source note: The image was generated by AI, provided by the image licensing service Midjourney
According to expert Chrysta Castaneda, a simple query using an AI tool like ChatGPT consumes as much as 2.9 watt-hours of electricity, compared to only 0.3 watt-hours for a typical Google search. This staggering difference means that to meet the computational demands of AI, we need more computers and significantly more power to support these devices.
However, this increase in power demand poses a series of challenges. Professor Michael Nowatkowski of network science at Augusta University notes that the surge in power demand could lead to increased strain on the power grid, potentially resulting in more frequent and severe power outages, and even interruptions in some cases. As demand rises, electricity prices in the market will also increase. Fariba Mamaghani from the Tulane University School of Business mentions that residents near data centers, such as those in Northern Virginia, Dallas, and Silicon Valley, may be the first to feel the impact of rising electricity bills.
According to Goldman Sachs' research, by 2028, AI is expected to account for 19% of the total power demand in data centers. This means that as our reliance on AI technology deepens, both power demand and electricity costs will continue to rise.
These changes will have a significant impact on our lives over the next decade, especially in how we manage electricity and cope with rising electricity bills, which are challenges we must face.
Key points:
🌐 Data center power demand is expected to increase by 160% by 2030, primarily driven by artificial intelligence.
⚡ The power consumption of a single ChatGPT query is nine times that of a Google search, highlighting the substantial computational demands of AI.
💰 Rising power demand will lead to increased electricity costs, with residents near data centers being more significantly affected.