New forecasts reveal global consumption will jump from 448 TWh in 2025 to 980 TWh by 2030, with AI-optimized servers accounting for 44% of electricity usage.
Global power demand from data centers is expected to surge 16% in 2025 alone and double by the end of the decade, according to new analysis from business and technology insight firm Gartner.
The company’s analysts predict that global data center power consumption will soar from 448 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2025 to 980 TWh by 2030, putting enormous pressure on the global energy grid.
A key factor driving this rapid growth is the proliferation of AI-optimized servers.
“While traditional servers and their supporting infrastructure contribute to overall data center power consumption, the rapid proliferation of AI-optimized servers is fueling data center power consumption growth,” said Linglan Wang, research director at Gartner. “Electricity usage is expected to increase nearly five times, from 93 TWh in 2025 to 432 TWh in 2030.”
By 2030, AI-optimized servers will account for a net 44% of total data center power usage, up from 21% in 2025.
