The accelerated expansion of artificial intelligence is transforming global infrastructure: a study by Kearney indicates that the electricity consumption of data centers dedicated to this technology is expected to double by 2030.
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) presents an unprecedented challenge for the global electricity sector. According to the recent Data Center Demand Index report, prepared by the consultancy Kearney, the voracious appetite for energy from new digital models promises to reshape the data center landscape in the coming years.
By 2025, AI’s share of data centers’ electricity bills is already significant, accounting for 23% to 27% of all consumed electricity. With the advancement of computational capabilities, this demand is projected to scale rapidly through the end of the decade.
The Challenge of Energy Density
The shift in consumption patterns is driven by the technical requirements of high-performance servers. While traditional hyperscale operations function within ranges of 10 to 14 kW per rack, training advanced AI systems demands massive density, ranging from 30 to 100 kW.
The inference phase is also demanding, requiring between 10 and 30 kW per rack. This disparity compels technology companies to rethink their location strategies, moving away from a one-size-fits-all model and seeking segmented solutions tailored to workload needs.
The New Geography of Data
According to Kearney’s survey, the market is bifurcating into four distinct operational categories:
- Urban Proximity: focused on minimum latency applications.
- Regional and Flexible: centered on cost efficiency and land availability.
- Data Sovereignty: adhering to strict jurisdictional boundaries.
- Energy Focus: where abundance, low cost, and sustainability are the primary criteria.
The future of digital infrastructure should not be viewed as a ranking of individual countries or cities, but as an interconnected network of complementary roles.
Kearney highlights in its official report.
For nations like Brazil, with continental dimensions and a predominantly clean energy matrix, this transition presents a strategic opportunity. The decentralization of data centers, guided by the pursuit of scalable renewable energy sources, positions the country prominently on the global stage of the new digital economy.
