Trump Left Shocked By Power-Hungry AI, Tells Elon Musk: 'Requires Twice The Energy That The Country Already Produces'

During the interview on Monday between Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump, the concerns about AI’s significant energy consumption were raised.

What Happened: While speaking with Musk Trump voiced his concerns about AI’s substantial electricity demands. He recognized Musk’s passion for AI but noted his surprise by the technology’s high energy requirements.

“This is shocking to me, but AI requires twice the energy that the country already produces,” the former President stated.

Adding, “You are gonna need tremendous amounts of electricity, like almost double what we produce now for the whole country, if you can believe it.”

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Why It Matters: The Republican presidential candidate wasn’t off the mark or the first person to raise such concerns. The energy demands of AI have been a topic of concern for some time.

In April this year, Arm Holdings plc. CEO Rene Haas warned that without improved energy efficiency AI data centers could consume up to 25% of U.S. power by 2030.

Last month, Google’s annual environmental report revealed that the tech giant’s emissions had risen by nearly 50% in five years due to the energy demands of AI.

However, not everyone shares these concerns. In June 2024, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates dismissed worries about AI’s energy consumption, asserting that the technology would ultimately offset its high electricity usage.

Previously, Cathie Wood-led ARK Invest's Sam Korus and Nick Grous also addressed the issue stating “countries need to pick their game up,” but the requirement shouldn’t be insurmountable.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.