OpenAI's Sam Altman is reportedly suggesting that artificial intelligence's energy demand can only be remedied with a breakthrough, particularly in nuclear fusion. Some experts suggest his belief is too ideal.
As per CNN, Altman has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in fusion, and in recent interviews, he has stated that the future technology, long regarded as the holy grail of renewable energy, may someday deliver the massive quantities of electricity required for next-generation AI.
"There's no way to get there without a breakthrough; we need fusion," Altman said in a January interview, coupled with increasing the use of other renewable energy sources. Then, in March, when podcaster and computer scientist Lex Fridman questioned how to solve AI's "energy puzzle," Altman again mentioned fusion.
(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) After the controversial firing of Sam Altman from his CEO position at OpenAI, over 500 employees signed a letter to unite with Altman soon and wanted to quit working with OpenAI.
According to some experts, Altman's emphasis on a future energy breakthrough demonstrates the AI industry's unwillingness to address the issue of how it will fulfill AI's rapidly increasing energy demands in the near future.
Alex de Vries, a researcher at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, says it is consistent with a common tendency toward wishful thinking regarding climate action.
The scientist adds that it would be far more prudent to focus on what we have and what we can accomplish right now rather than wishing for something that could happen.
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AI's Massive Energy Demand
According to Bill Vass, Amazon Web Services vice president of engineering, a new data center is added globally every three days. During the conference, Bill Gates, a Microsoft co-founder, noted that energy is the most crucial aspect in determining a data center's profitability and that artificial intelligence would require enormous power.
In addition to the energy necessary to manufacture chips and other hardware, AI requires significant computer power to "train" models—feeding them massive datasets—and then to utilize that training to respond to a user inquiry.
Corporations must incorporate technology into applications and internet searches, increasing computer power needs as technology advances. According to de Vries, an internet search employing AI might consume at least ten times more energy than a regular search.
AI's Energy Supply Alternatives
While Altman is looking at nuclear fusion, recent reports indicate that other AI executives are vying for fossil fuels to supply AI's massive energy needs.
Tech leaders are concerned that AI will consume more energy than clean sources can give. Wind and solar power are unreliable due to weather variations. Although nuclear reactors take years to build, they are not a viable option for enterprises that demand power right immediately.
Utilities and IT companies are discussing whether more fossil fuels are needed to fulfill demand. According to Toby Rice, CEO of EQT, a big American natural gas producer, IT businesses building data centers are interested in acquiring gas from the company.
Related Article: AI Data Centers Restricted Worldwide Due to Energy Consumption
(Photo: Tech Times)
