Powering AI's Potential: Balancing Energy Needs with Societal Impact
Exploring the balance between AI's energy needs and its societal impact. Discover how the tech industry can responsibly harness energy to drive innovation and economic prosperity.
14 juni 2025

Discover how AI can drive economic prosperity while addressing environmental concerns. This blog post explores the energy impact of technology and the importance of creating real-world value to gain social permission for sustainable growth.
The Relative Energy Consumption of Tech
The Need for Social Permission to Increase Energy Consumption
The Importance of Delivering Value Across Different Sectors
The Tech Industry as a Major Buyer of Energy
Delivering Economic Prosperity Through Efficient Energy Use
Conclusion
The Relative Energy Consumption of Tech
The Relative Energy Consumption of Tech
The reality is that the entire tech industry only accounts for around 2-3% of the global power consumption. While it is true that this figure may double as the industry continues to grow, it is important to note that this increase in energy usage needs to be accompanied by the creation of significant value in the real world.
The tech industry should be anchored not just on products that are used for entertainment, but also on applications that drive productivity in healthcare, knowledge work, and small businesses. This will help the industry gain the necessary social permission to continue using the scarce resource of energy in a sustainable manner.
Furthermore, the tech industry is one of the largest buyers of energy, and this can be seen as a significant subsidy for new energy projects. The industry should focus on delivering more value per unit of energy consumed, ultimately contributing to economic prosperity.
The Need for Social Permission to Increase Energy Consumption
The Need for Social Permission to Increase Energy Consumption
The reality is that the tech industry currently accounts for only 2-3% of the total grid power consumption. While this may seem minor, it is important to recognize that as the industry grows, it will need to have the social permission to double its energy consumption. To achieve this, the tech industry must create significantly more value in the real world, such as in healthcare, broad knowledge work, and improving productivity for small businesses. This will give the industry the social permission to continue using the scarce resource of energy in a sustainable way. The tech industry is one of the biggest buyers of energy, and this can be seen as a significant subsidy for new energy projects. Ultimately, the industry must deliver tokens per dollar per watt in a way that creates economic prosperity, which will help address concerns about the environmental impact of increased energy consumption.
The Importance of Delivering Value Across Different Sectors
The Importance of Delivering Value Across Different Sectors
The reality is that the tech industry currently accounts for only a small fraction, around 2-3%, of the total power consumption. While it may need to double its energy usage to continue growing, it needs to create significantly more value in the real world to gain the necessary social permission. This means anchoring the industry's efforts not just on consumer-facing products, but on driving productivity and efficiency in healthcare, knowledge work, and small businesses. By delivering tangible value across these diverse sectors, the tech industry can demonstrate its ability to use scarce energy resources in a sustainable manner. As major buyers of energy, the tech companies can play a crucial role in supporting the development of new, environmentally-friendly energy projects that create economic prosperity.
The Tech Industry as a Major Buyer of Energy
The Tech Industry as a Major Buyer of Energy
The reality is that the tech industry only accounts for a small fraction, around 2-3%, of the total grid power consumption. While it may double in the future, it needs to have the social permission to do so. To gain this permission, the tech industry must create significant value in the real world, such as in healthcare, broad knowledge work, and improving productivity for small businesses. This will demonstrate that the industry's use of the scarce resource of energy is justified and sustainable. In fact, the tech industry is one of the biggest buyers of energy, and its demand can serve as a significant subsidy for new energy projects. The key is to deliver high economic value per unit of energy consumed, which will ultimately create economic prosperity.
Delivering Economic Prosperity Through Efficient Energy Use
Delivering Economic Prosperity Through Efficient Energy Use
The reality is that the tech industry currently accounts for only a small fraction, around 2-3%, of the total power consumption. While this may double in the future, it is essential that the tech industry has the social permission to do so. This can be achieved by creating significant value in the real world, such as in healthcare, broad knowledge work, and improving productivity for small businesses.
The tech industry is one of the largest buyers of energy, and this can be leveraged to support the development of new, more sustainable energy projects. The goal should be to deliver the most value per unit of energy consumed, creating economic prosperity while minimizing the environmental impact. By focusing on efficient energy use and delivering tangible benefits to society, the tech industry can secure the necessary social permission to continue growing and thriving.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The reality is that the tech industry currently accounts for only a small fraction, around 2-3%, of the total power consumption. While it is true that the industry's energy usage may need to double to meet growing demands, this increase can be achieved in a sustainable manner. The key is to ensure that the tech industry creates significant value in the real world, such as in healthcare, broad knowledge work, and small business productivity. This will provide the necessary social permission for the industry to continue using the scarce resource of energy.
Furthermore, the tech industry is one of the largest buyers of energy, and this can be leveraged to support the development of new, more sustainable energy projects. The industry should focus on delivering high tokens per dollar of energy consumed, which will ultimately create economic prosperity. By taking a responsible and value-driven approach, the tech industry can continue to grow while minimizing its environmental impact.
FAQ
FAQ