June 28, 2024 –In a recent speech in London, tech mogul and philanthropist Bill Gates has come to the defense of AI systems, arguing that their energy consumption will ultimately be “offset” by the efficiencies they bring. Gates’ comments, reported by the Financial Times today, were made in response to concerns about the increasing energy use associated with advanced AI technologies.
Addressing environmental activists and government representatives, Gates urged them not to “overly worry” about the significant power demands of running the latest generation of AI systems. This is because major technology companies, like Microsoft, are investing billions of dollars in the construction of large, new data centers.
According to Gates, these data centers are expected to increase global electricity usage by 2-6%. In May of this year, Microsoft acknowledged that its greenhouse gas emissions had increased by nearly a third since 2020, largely due to the construction of these data centers. However, Gates emphasized that technology companies are committed to seeking new energy sources and are willing to pay a “green premium” for clean energy, thus promoting its development and deployment.
“Technology companies are willing to pay the premium and help kickstart green energy production,” Gates stated during his speech at the “Breakthrough Energy Group” summit, which he founded and is backed by investors such as Jeff Bezos, Masayoshi Son, and Jack Ma. The group has already invested in over 100 companies developing sustainable energy and other technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Major technology giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have ambitious plans to invest billions of dollars in building the computational infrastructure required to run AI systems globally. However, limitations in power supply have presented new challenges for these companies in pursuing their goals.
In May, the U.S. non-profit organization, the Electricity Innovation Lab, pointed out that data centers could consume 9% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030, more than double the current usage. Gates’ comments highlight the complex balance between the growing demand for AI technologies and the need for sustainable energy solutions to power them.
