Could AI Power Its Way Into Your Electricity Bill?

AI is popping up everywhere, from helping small businesses with marketing to making our family video calls clearer. But there’s a quiet worry bubbling away in the background: how much power does all this AI actually need?

A recent United Nations report has flagged that artificial intelligence could soon be slurping up a surprising amount of the world's electricity — potentially as much as 3% of the global supply. That’s a fair chunk, especially when you think about powering homes and businesses. It also points to huge amounts of water needed, mostly to cool the massive data centres where AI 'brains' live.

The report brings up what’s called 'Jevons paradox'. This basically means that as AI gets more efficient and cheaper to run, people will use it more and more. Think of it like a new, fuel-efficient car; you might drive it further because it costs less per kilometre, so your overall fuel use could still go up. The same could happen with AI, potentially doubling its electricity use by the end of the decade.

Now, for a small business owner in Brisbane, you might be wondering, 'How does this affect my bottom line?' Well, if AI's power hunger starts to put a strain on grids, it could eventually lead to higher electricity prices for everyone. It also raises questions about sustainability and how we manage our resources as technology rapidly advances. It's not happening tomorrow, but it's something to keep an eye on.