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We don't know exactly how much electricity the AI/ML part of global energy use is, but it is being counted as part of the global datacenter energy use. The est

We don't know exactly how much electricity the AI/ML part of global energy use is, but it is being counted as part of the global datacenter energy use. The estimates are between 1% and 5% worldwide depending on the used definition AI/ML and the definition of world energy use (for example global electricity versus global energy). [1] Integrative design for radical energy efficiency - Amory Lovins https://youtu.be/Na3qhrMHWuY?t=1026 https://youtu.be/Na3qhrMHWuY?t=1026 [2] "Energy. Estimated global data centre electricity consumption in 2022 was 240-340 TWh, or around 1-1.3% of global final electricity demand. This excludes energy used for cryptocurrency mining, which was estimated to be around 110 TWh in 2022, accounting for 0.4% of annual global electricity demand." https://www.iea.org/energy-system/buildings/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks# https://www.iea.org/energy-system/buildings/data-centres-and... [3] Stanford Seminar - Saving energy and increasing density in information processing using photonics - David B. Miller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hWWyuesmhs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hWWyuesmhs

hristov 3y ago
You have a citation for 2022 which is right before use of AI exploded and NVIDIA started selling AI machines like hotcakes. I expect energy use to be much larger this year.
- morphle 3y ago
  I'm sure you are right but the numbers for 2023 will be published next year. We can also estimate [2] and extrapolate from the recent shift of 30% (?) of bitcoin mining from China to the US [1]. ARPA-E funded the tabulation of all US energy uses in Sankey Diagrams, which included datacenter use [2] but also does not split out NVDIA's, Bitcoin mining or AI's parts. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/us/bitcoin-mines-china-united-states.html https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/us/bitcoin-mines-china-un... [2] Energy, Following the Numbers - Saul Griffith Stanford talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ewEaTlGz4s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ewEaTlGz4s
mmoskal 3y ago
FWIW a recent The Economist report [0] lists data center usage at 1-2% of global electricity consumption (which is 1/3 of energy IIRC) and AI at 8% of that in 2023 projected to grow to 15-20% by 2028. Given how careful the hyper scalers are about using renewables and offsets (edit: compared to other big energy users that is) I refuse to feel bad about it... [0] https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2024/01/29/da https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2024/01/29/da...

hristov 3y ago

You have a citation for 2022 which is right before use of AI exploded and NVIDIA started selling AI machines like hotcakes. I expect energy use to be much larger this year.

morphle 3y ago
I'm sure you are right but the numbers for 2023 will be published next year. We can also estimate [2] and extrapolate from the recent shift of 30% (?) of bitcoin mining from China to the US [1]. ARPA-E funded the tabulation of all US energy uses in Sankey Diagrams, which included datacenter use [2] but also does not split out NVDIA's, Bitcoin mining or AI's parts. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/us/bitcoin-mines-china-united-states.html https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/us/bitcoin-mines-china-un... [2] Energy, Following the Numbers - Saul Griffith Stanford talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ewEaTlGz4s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ewEaTlGz4s

mmoskal 3y ago

FWIW a recent The Economist report [0] lists data center usage at 1-2% of global electricity consumption (which is 1/3 of energy IIRC) and AI at 8% of that in 2023 projected to grow to 15-20% by 2028. Given how careful the hyper scalers are about using renewables and offsets (edit: compared to other big energy users that is) I refuse to feel bad about it... [0] https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2024/01/29/da https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2024/01/29/da...