Nearly half of AI data centers may not have enough power by 2027

AI’s insatiable thirst for electricity is expected to surge in the coming years, potentially leading to power shortages for data centers. New servers last year demanded 195 terawatt-hours of electricity, according to a new report from Gartner. That’s as much as 18 million households use in a year. But by 2027, new servers could command 500 terawatt-hours, or 46 million households’ worth.

That’s over and above the juice used by existing data centers, which already consumed 349 terawatt hours in 2022, according to a Goldman Sachs estimate. Without additional sources of carbon-free power, pollution from AI training and use could skyrocket. Sam Altman’s big bet on fusion power — over $375 million — is starting to make more sense.