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AI Infrastructure 2026
Data-center energy, compute and spending — the most important primary-sourced AI infrastructure statistics for 2026. Every figure is linked to its primary source and dated.
By The AI Index · Updated July 2026 · 6 min read · 10 sourced figures
Key takeaways
- Data centers used about 415 TWh in 2024 — roughly 1.5% of global electricity — rising to an estimated 485 TWh in 2025 and set to roughly double to ~945 TWh by 2030. (IEA)
- Electricity for AI-accelerated servers is growing about 30% a year, versus ~9% for conventional servers. (IEA)
- Gartner expects data-center electricity demand to grow 26% in 2026 and more than double by 2030; US demand is projected to rise ~130%. (Gartner / IEA)
- IDC forecasts AI infrastructure spending of $497B in 2026 (~56% YoY), exceeding $1 trillion by 2029. (IDC)
Data-center electricity demand
The IEA’s Energy and AI analysis puts global data-center electricity at roughly 415 TWh in 2024 — about 1.5% of the global total — rising to an estimated 485 TWh in 2025 (up ~17%, with electricity for AI-focused data centers surging ~50%), and projects it will reach around 945 TWh by 2030 in its base case, just under 3% of global electricity, climbing toward 1,200 TWh by 2035 (IEA). Data-center electricity use has grown ~12% per year over the last five years; AI is the driver, with AI-accelerated servers projected to grow ~30% annually versus ~9% for conventional servers.
| Year | Data-center electricity (TWh) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 415 |
| 2025 | 485 |
| 2030 | 945 |
| 2035 | 1,200 |
Global data-center electricity (TWh), 2024–2035 · Source: IEA, Energy and AI
The US grid strain
The pressure is concentrated where data centers cluster. The IEA estimates US data-center energy demand will rise about 130% by 2030; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory projects US data-center electricity climbing from 176 TWh in 2023 to a range of 325–580 TWh by 2028. Gartner separately forecasts global data-center electricity demand growing 26% in 2026 and reaching over 1,200 TWh by 2030 (Gartner).
Infrastructure investment
The buildout is enormously capital-intensive. IDC forecasts AI infrastructure spending of about $497 billion in 2026 (~56% YoY), exceeding $1 trillion by 2029 (IDC). For the full capital picture — venture funding, valuations, and hyperscaler capex — see our AI Investment & Funding Statistics 2026.
The numbers in full
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Data-center electricity (2024) | ~415 TWh (~1.5%) | IEA |
| Data-center electricity (2025) | ~485 TWh (~17% YoY) | IEA |
| Projected (2030, base case) | ~945 TWh (~3%) | IEA |
| Projected (2035) | ~1,200 TWh | IEA |
| AI-accelerated server growth | ~30% / year | IEA |
| Conventional server growth | ~9% / year | IEA |
| 5-year historical growth | ~12% / year | IEA |
| US data-center demand by 2030 | +130% | IEA |
| AI infrastructure spend (2026) | $497B (~56% YoY) | IDC |
Figures reflect each source’s latest release.
Frequently asked
How much electricity do data centers use?
About 415 TWh in 2024 — roughly 1.5% of global electricity, and an estimated 485 TWh in 2025 — per the IEA, growing around 12% per year over the past five years. (IEA)
How much will AI data-center energy grow?
The IEA projects global data-center electricity will roughly double to ~945 TWh by 2030 (just under 3% of global power), with AI-accelerated servers growing ~30% per year. (IEA)
How much is being spent on AI infrastructure?
IDC forecasts AI infrastructure spending of roughly $497 billion in 2026 (~56% YoY growth), rising above $1 trillion by 2029. (IDC)
Primary sources
• Gartner — data-center forecast, Jun 2026 (26% in 2026 · 1,200+ TWh by 2030) — gartner.com
• IDC — AI Infrastructure Spending, 2026 ($497B 2026 · >$1T by 2029) — idc.com