Experts: AI Servers Will Consume More Power Than All Conventional Data Centers Combined By 2027

Global data center electricity consumption is projected to surge 26 percent this year, reaching 565 terawatt-hours as AI workloads push power demand to unprecedented levels, according to new forecasts from research firm Gartner.

Tom’s Hardware reports that worldwide data center electricity consumption will climb from 447 terawatt-hours in 2025 to 565 terawatt-hours in 2026, marking a 26 percent increase driven primarily by compute-intensive AI applications. The research indicates that power availability has emerged as a critical constraint limiting AI expansion across the industry.

According to the Gartner forecast, worldwide power demand is expected to increase 27 percent to 132 gigawatts over the same period, up from 104 gigawatts in 2025. The firm projects that total consumption will surpass 1,200 terawatt-hours by 2030. The gigawatt measurement reflects peak capacity that requires construction, permitting, and grid connection, while terawatt-hours measure actual electricity drawn throughout the year. Both metrics are rising faster than utilities can expand supply infrastructure.