AI Energy Crisis Could Strain Global Resources by 2030

Artificial intelligence is expanding rapidly, and the AI Energy Crisis could become a major global challenge by 2030. A new United Nations report says growing AI infrastructure may place heavy pressure on electricity, water, and land resources. The report warns that billions of people could face indirect impacts if governments and industries fail to manage AI development responsibly.

According to the report, AI-related data centers are expected to consume about 945 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity by 2030. Their electricity consumption has already reached 448 TWh in 2025. If global data centers formed a single country, they would rank as the world's 11th-largest electricity consumer.

The report states that environmental assessments often focus on carbon emissions. However, water consumption and land use receive far less attention. Researchers say these factors deserve equal consideration when evaluating the AI Energy Crisis.

Water demand linked to AI operations could reach 9.3 trillion liters by 2030. That amount equals the annual household water needs of 1.3 billion people across Sub-Saharan Africa. The report also estimates AI-related land use may expand to 14,500 square kilometers, almost twice the size of the Jakarta metropolitan area.

Researchers explain that AI training is not the largest source of electricity demand. Instead, AI inference, which powers everyday user requests, accounts for 80 to 90 percent of AI electricity consumption. Around 2.5 billion AI prompts are processed every day, leading to annual electricity use measured in hundreds of terawatt-hours.

The report also compares different AI tasks. It states that generating a single AI image requires approximately 1,450 times more energy than standard text processing. A short AI-generated video may consume as much electricity as processing 200,000 spam classifications.

The findings also note that systems similar to ChatGPT consume around 383 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity every year. Experts add that low-carbon energy sources do not always reduce pressure on water supplies or land resources.

The report emphasizes that it does not oppose artificial intelligence. Instead, it calls for responsible development to address the AI Energy Crisis through transparency, energy efficiency, environmental justice, lifecycle responsibility, international cooperation, and sustainable resource management. Such measures can support technological progress while protecting natural resources for future generations.