UN report warns AI could soon use 3% of world’s electricity and more water than we need to drink

Key Points:

• A new United Nations report warns that AI’s energy consumption could double by 2030, using 3% of global electricity, producing emissions equivalent to the UK, and consuming more water for cooling than the world’s annual drinking water needs.
• The report highlights the "Jevons paradox," where increased efficiency in AI leads to greater overall resource consumption due to expanded and cheaper usage, negating potential energy savings.
• Data centres, which already consume as much electricity as Saudi Arabia, could require vast amounts of water and land by 2030, with a carbon footprint needing billions of trees to offset, underscoring significant environmental impacts.
• The AI boom is concentrated in a few countries, mainly the US and China, creating a digital divide where many nations bear disproportionate environmental burdens from mineral extraction and e-waste without hosting AI infrastructure.
• The report calls for responsible AI use through full lifecycle governance, environmental disclosures, and global cooperation, urging integration of sustainability into AI development and policy frameworks to avoid exacerbating environmental harm.