Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt told the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that the AI industry’s energy demands could surge from 3% to 99% of total electricity generation, requiring significant increases in energy production.
Schmidt emphasized the need for all forms of energy, stating, “we need the energy in all forms, renewable, non-renewable, whatever. It needs to be there, and it needs to be there quickly.” He projected an additional 29 gigawatts of energy by 2027 and 67 more gigawatts by 2030.
Schmidt warned that if China achieves superintelligence first, it could alter the global power dynamic in unpredictable ways. However, many AI researchers believe that achieving superintelligence is highly unlikely in the near future. Schmidt’s comments have been met with skepticism, with some viewing his warnings as a strategy to influence lawmakers and secure favorable treatment for the AI industry. The energy demands of AI data centers are a pressing concern, with companies like Elon Musk’s xAI seeking to secure power resources.
Schmidt’s testimony has raised questions about his motivations, given his personal investments in AI startups and his role as chairman of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence. Ethics experts have noted that while his actions may be “technically legal,” they represent a potential conflict of interest.
