Research background. Artificial intelligence opens up great opportunities in the energy sector, increasing efficiency, reducing costs and stimulating innovation. It is used to accurately predict the generation of solar and wind power plants, optimize the operation of networks and create new materials for batteries. However, the development of AI is associated with high energy consumption. The growing demand for AI services is leading to a boom in the construction of large data centers, which already account for 1.5% of global energy consumption, which also requires special attention to the development of "green" AI.
Purpose of the article: to substantiate the role of AI and "green" AI and its place in the process of global energy transition and the growth of global energy consumption.
Methods: The authors analyzed the work and reports of the IEA, as well as official statistics from Eurostat, to determine the prospects for energy consumption by data centers and the potential carbon footprint per data center.
Findings & Value added: based on the analysis, a significant carbon footprint per data center in China has been identified, and prospects for the development of data center capacities by 2030 have been identified, for which the use of "green" intelligence is a promising tool for energy-efficient operation without damaging the environment. By 2030, it is proposed to use natural gas on a large scale as a priority energy source for data centers