United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a stark warning to artificial intelligence (AI) companies on Tuesday, urging them to transition data centers to 100% renewable energy by 2030. The call comes amid growing concerns over the sector's soaring electricity consumption, which Guterres described as "unsustainable" given current global climate goals.
Speaking at a UN briefing, Guterres revealed that a single AI data center now consumes as much power as 100,000 households. With AI development accelerating, he projected that energy demands from these facilities could soon multiply twentyfold, potentially matching Japan's total electricity consumption by 2030.
"The technology sector must lead this transition," Guterres emphasized. "We cannot afford to let unchecked energy use derail climate progress." He highlighted AI's dual role – while the industry drives innovation in energy efficiency, its infrastructure currently relies heavily on non-renewable resources.
A new UN report underscores the urgency: Data centers already account for 1.5% of global electricity use, a figure expected to double within six years. Guterres challenged tech leaders to leverage AI's problem-solving capabilities to accelerate renewable adoption, stating: "This is not sustainable unless we make it so."
