The Physical World Behind AI, the Tech Innovations library
Power and Energy
Power and Energy
How Much Electricity Does AI Use, from One Question to an Entire Data Centre?
One AI answer uses very little electricity; billions of them, plus training, add up to a fast-growing share of the world's power.
Power and Energy
Why Are AI Chips So Power Hungry?
AI chips do enormous numbers of calculations at once and constantly move data to and from memory, and moving data costs more energy than the calculations themselves.
Power and Energy
Even When the Money Is Ready, Why Is the Power Not?
A data centre can be built in a couple of years, but new grid lines, transformers and connections often take longer, and that has become the pace-setter for AI.
Power and Energy
What Happens When the Power Goes Out for One Second?
Inside the data centre, batteries and generators keep the computers running; outside it, many data centres switching to backup at the same moment can shake the grid itself.
Power and Energy
Can Solar and Wind Power an AI Data Centre Around the Clock?
Over a year, yes on paper; hour by hour, only with storage, a mix of sources and careful contracts, because a data centre runs at night and the sun does not.
Power and Energy
Will Nuclear Power Supply AI Data Centres?
Nuclear already supplies a share of data centre electricity, and technology companies are signing for more, but most new reactors are years away.
Power and Energy
Could Data Centres Help the Grid Instead of Straining It?
Some computing can wait, so a data centre can ease its demand when the grid is stretched, and trials are now testing how far that goes.