Elon Musk Warns of Potential Global Energy Collapse in 30 Months
The American billionaire Elon Musk has issued a stark warning, stating that the global energy infrastructure could be on the brink of a catastrophic collapse within 30 to 36 months. This warning stems from the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence systems and their substantial electricity consumption.
During an extensive discussion on the podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience" with John Collison, Musk emphasized that current energy networks may not be able to cope with the increasing demands, saying, "In about three years, we will lose our energy... Remember my words... It can't get bigger than this here."
Musk explained that the energy consumption of artificial intelligence is outpacing the ability of existing networks to adapt, which could lead to widespread blackouts threatening essential digital services.
* Unprecedented Plan: Moving Computing to Space
As a groundbreaking solution to this crisis, Musk unveiled a plan to relocate a significant portion of computing capabilities to space. This would involve launching a million small satellites equipped with central processing units powered directly by solar energy, taking advantage of the consistent solar radiation in low Earth orbit.
Musk noted: "The sun is always present in space, allowing us to generate limitless energy to operate these systems, free from Earth's limitations."
* Concerns Over Potential Space Crisis
However, Musk's proposal has not been without controversy. Experts have raised concerns about congestion in low Earth orbit and the increased risk of satellite collisions, which could lead to a buildup of space debris and complicate future space missions.
The European Space Agency described this scenario as one that could render near-Earth space a hazardous environment, urging the establishment of stringent international standards before undertaking projects of this scale.
* Alarming Statistics on Energy Consumption
According to the International Energy Agency, global energy consumption by artificial intelligence data centers is projected to reach 480 terawatt-hours by 2025, marking a 35% increase from the previous year, with forecasts indicating that this figure could double by 2028 if current growth trends continue without improvements in energy efficiency.
Dr. Leandra Cho from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology remarked that Musk's warnings "reflect a real gap between the pace of technological innovation and the infrastructure's ability to accommodate it," advocating for urgent investments in small nuclear energy and high-efficiency solar panels as alternative solutions.
This warning comes at a time when the world, particularly the United States and China, is in a fierce race to build massive data centers, further exacerbating the environmental and logistical challenges associated with energy consumption.
