The power consumption of data centres, used in particular for artificial intelligence (AI), is four times higher than average, warns the Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union (ITU). +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Between 2020 and 2023, four of the main players will have seen power consumption explode by 150%, says the ITU. + Swiss label aims to make data centres greener In a report, it unveils the figures for 2023. In the six years since 2017, data centre consumption has increased by 12% each year. On a more positive note, however, more companies have set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, used renewable energy or aligned themselves with scientific frameworks. "More needs to be done," said the UN agency's secretary general, Doreeen Bogdan-Martin. "We need a response to the challenges posed by these energy effects," adds the ITU. The greenhouse gas emissions of some 160 of the largest digital companies accounted for 0.8% of the ...
