Recent studies by Greenpeace and the International Energy Agency (IEA) reveal alarming projections regarding AI’s environmental impact, highlighting a fourfold increase in semiconductor production emissions by 2024 and a potential 170-fold rise in global electricity demand for AI by 2030. Major chip manufacturers, reliant on fossil fuel-dependent power grids in East Asia, face criticism as countries like South Korea and Taiwan expand gas-fired power and liquefied natural gas projects instead of transitioning to renewables. Moreover, electricity consumption for AI-related data centers could account for half of the overall growth in electricity demand, surpassing that of traditional energy-intensive industries.
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