KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 15): As the world transitions into what the World Economic Forum (WEF) described as the “intelligent age”, artificial intelligence (AI) and data centres are emerging as pivotal drivers of technological and energy system transformation.
Data centres currently account for approximately 1% of global electricity demand, with projections indicating this could rise to 3% by 2030, according to WEF managing director Mirek Dušek.
“First of all, not all data centres are related to AI. The numbers (data centre energy usage) are at least currently lower according to some estimates,” Dušek said during a virtual press conference held in conjunction with the launch of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2025.
However, Dušek highlighted that the rise in energy consumption is tied to advancements in chip design and cooling technologies.
“How much innovation there is going to be, for example, the chip design…will determine how energy-intensive these systems will be in the future,” he said.
While acknowledging that AI would contribute to rising energy demands, Dušek also emphasised its potential for efficiency gains in energy management.
“There are already gains we can get with AI in terms of how we manage energy,” Dušek said.
For instance, AI is being increasingly utilised to optimise electricity grids and predict energy system behaviours, a development that could offset some of the additional consumption driven by technological adoption, he noted.
Beyond energy management, the rise of AI is also seen as enablers of innovation and efficiency across various sectors, including mobility and infrastructure.
However, as Dušek pointed out, “This is a two-way street,” with both opportunities and risks stemming from their widespread deployment.
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Source: EdgeProp.my
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