The IEA report examines the impact of AI on energy demand and the role of physical infrastructure.
The IEA report “Key Questions on Energy and AI” highlights how the growth of artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the profile of global energy demand, with electricity consumption by data centres rising sharply (+17% in 2025) and an even more marked acceleration for infrastructure dedicated to AI (+50%). Despite significant efficiency gains per individual operation, the spread of more complex and intensive applications is driving an increase in overall demand, which is expected to grow further over the medium term. In this context, energy availability and infrastructure capacity are becoming key factors for the competitiveness and sustainability of the digital ecosystem. However, the report also points to an area of concern: the pace of AI growth requires a rapid adaptation of the physical systems that support it. Electricity grids, supply chains and production capacity are emerging as potentially limiting factors, capable of affecting the speed at which new projects can be developed.
Author: International Energy Agency
Publisher: International Energy Agency
Publication date: April 2026