Energy demand and production are being pushed to new limits by data centers powering artificial intelligence and cloud computing. A rise in global electricity use of up to 75% by 2050 has been projected by the U.S. Department of Energy, with much of the surge being driven by the tech industry’s AI ambitions.
AI and cloud computing data centers are expected to grow so large that their electricity consumption could surpass that of entire cities.
As advancements in AI technology are pursued and deployment is expanded, increasing energy demands are being found to conflict with sustainability objectives.
Nuclear power projects are being explored and invested in by some of the most recognizable names, including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. Driven by the immense energy demands of their data centers and AI models, these announcements are seen as the start of a broader industry trend.
Nuclear energy, once largely written off due to widespread fears about meltdowns and safety risks — along with misinformation that dramatized those concerns — is now being touted by experts as the start of a “nuclear revival.” This revival is seen as having the potential to accelerate an energy transformation in the U.S. and globally.
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