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By Jack Graham [[link removed]] | Deputy Editor, Funded Projects

Clash of views

In the vast, imposing exhibition hall of Paris' Grand Palais, world leaders and tech executives met this week to discuss the hot topic of today: artificial intelligence.

The meeting was a clash of views. U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Europeans that "excessive regulation" could kill the AI industry, and along with Britain refused to sign [[link removed]] its final declaration.

One thing that everyone agrees on, though, is the need for energy. [[link removed]]

The energy required by AI is increasing all the time, particularly as new consumer products become more popular, from OpenAI's ChatGPT to Google's Gemini.

"There is no doubt that the high energy intensity of AI needs to be looked into," said India Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his keynote speech.

But will that energy supply be green? And could it take energy away from other uses, like powering homes?

French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, February 11, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Co-hosting the summit with France, Modi and President Emmanuel Macron used the conference to promote their efforts to power AI with clean energy.

Macron joked on Monday that he would "plug, baby, plug" with nuclear energy to support AI, instead of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to "drill, baby, drill" with oil and gas.

In the United States, AI data centres are helping to drive huge power consumption which means about half the country is at increased risk of power supply shortfalls [[link removed]] in the next decade.

With a new $500-billion AI infrastructure plan, Trump said he would help tech firms produce energy to power the industry. [[link removed]] And when the newly elected president says energy, he does not mean solar panels and wind turbines.

Heads of state and government and business leaders pose for a photo at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, February 11, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Lightening the load

Before the Paris summit, a coalition of NGOs, including Amnesty International and European Digital Rights, called on attendees to minimise the environmental harms of AI [[link removed]], our tech correspondent Adam Smith reported.

They demanded that AI companies phase out fossil fuels, and track things like energy and water use [[link removed]] as the infrastructure develops.

Tech firms like Google, Meta and Microsoft have made a variety of green pledges, yet experts say the sector is not doing enough to mitigate the rising consumption of resources. [[link removed]]

There are hopes that as AI develops, it can become more efficient and reduce some of the intense demand for energy and water.

As Modi quipped in his speech: "the human brain manages to compose poetry and design spaceships using less power than most lightbulbs."

But the sheer scale of the AI industry in the coming decades means these technological solutions may not be sufficient. Analysts predict regulations will be crucial, like requiring firms to report on energy use and be powered by renewables, or even to develop in line with climate goals.

Judging by leaders' discussions in Paris, however, the environment is not a top priority in the global AI race.

See you next week,

Jack

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