Power-hungry AI boom making power grids less reliable

[surfered]

A simple ChatGPT consumes as much electricity as a 60 watt bulb dies on ten minutes. Data Centers consumed more power in 2023 than Italy and Taiwan. Their energy demand surged more than seven-fold since 2008.


In Texas, for example, a substantial rise in energy demand could mean less reliable energy for everyone.

“Crypto miners and data centers will be responsible for over 50% of the added growth [to power demand]. We need to take a close look at those two industries,” Texas Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick said in a Jun 12 post to X.

[captain queeg]

1. Crypto mining uses as much electricity as many countries do.

[SarahD]

2. They call it a "data center" tonmake it sound better.

They want us to believe our bank cards will stop working if they don't build more data centers. But artificial intelligence and crypto mining are capable of consuming staggering amounts of electrical power without giving us, the consumers, much of anything in return. If we could curb our piggy tendencies, we could be much smarter about building up the power grid. As it is, unrestrained growth makes nukes inevitable and we will pay through the nose. And we may or may not get electric cars and necessary infrastructure.