How much energy do data centers and artificial intelligence use?
Summary
The article from Our World in Data analyzes the energy use of data centers and AI, noting that data centers account for about 1.5% of global electricity with significant geographic clustering. It compares estimates from IEA and Energy Institute (which includes crypto mining) and discusses AI’s share both in total electricity and per-query energy, highlighting uncertainties about future demand and the importance of grid generation mix for emissions.