Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has warned the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that the development of artificial intelligence could lead to a massive surge in global electricity demand, potentially altering the global balance of power.
According to Schmidt, the AI industry’s energy demand is projected to drastically increase from 3% to 99% of total generation. He informed lawmakers that an additional 29 gigawatts of energy will be required by 2027, and a further 67 gigawatts by 2030. Schmidt stressed the need for a significant increase in energy production across all forms, stating, “What we need from you is we need the energy in all forms, renewable, non-renewable, whatever. It needs to be there, and it needs to be there quickly.” He also cautioned that if China achieves “superintelligence” before others, “it changes the dynamic of power globally, in ways that we have no way of understanding or predicting.”
However, many AI researchers are skeptical about the likelihood of the type of superintelligence Schmidt described emerging anytime soon. This has led to speculation that Schmidt might be exaggerating the threat posed by Chinese AI to influence lawmakers and promote the growth of the AI industry, as well as secure the necessary energy supply for data centers powering AI. Schmidt has a vested interest in the growth of the AI industry, having been found to have hidden direct investments in AI startups during his tenure as chairman of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence. Despite many experts disagreeing with Schmidt’s assessment, Energy committee chair Brett Guthrie described it as “sober.”
Schmidt’s push for increased energy production has been viewed by some as a strategy to support the AI industry’s expansion, with critics accusing him of “corporate capture,” a tactic also used by other Silicon Valley giants like Uber, to influence lawmakers and create favorable regulations.
