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Technical Performance · Index
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.
Key takeaways
- Data centers used about 415 TWh in 2024 — roughly 1.5% of global electricity — 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 16% in 2025 and double by 2030; US demand is projected to rise ~130%. (Gartner / IEA)
- IDC forecasts AI infrastructure spending of $487B in 2026 (~53% YoY), exceeding $1 trillion by 2029. (IDC)
415 TWh
945 TWh
$487B
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 — 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 |
| 2030 | 945 |
| 2035 | 1,200 |
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 16% in 2025 and doubling by 2030 (Gartner).
Infrastructure investment
The buildout is enormously capital-intensive. IDC forecasts AI infrastructure spending of about $487 billion in 2026 (~53% 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.
“AI-server electricity is growing ~30% a year — the demand curve behind a trillion-dollar infrastructure buildout.”
The numbers in full
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Data-center electricity (2024) | ~415 TWh (~1.5%) | 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) | $487B (~53% YoY) | IDC |
Frequently asked
How much electricity do data centers use?
About 415 TWh in 2024 — roughly 1.5% of global electricity — 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 $487 billion in 2026 (~53% YoY growth), rising above $1 trillion by 2029. (IDC)
Cite this page
The AI Index (2026). AI Infrastructure 2026: Data-Center Energy, Compute & Spending. Retrieved Jun 20, 2026, from report-ai.org/indexes/technical-benchmarks/ai-infrastructure-compute-statistics-2026/
Related: AI Investment & Funding 2026 · AI Model Benchmarks 2026 · Compare year over year · AI Inference
On this page
- Key takeaways
- Data-center electricity demand
- Infrastructure investment
- The numbers in full
- Frequently asked
- Cite this page
Primary sources
- IEA — Energy and AI, 2025 · data-center electricity · AI-server growth
- Gartner — data-center forecast, Nov 2025 · 16% in 2025 · doubling by 2030
- IDC — AI Infrastructure Spending, 2026 · $487B 2026 · >$1T by 2029
30%
Annual growth in electricity for AI-accelerated servers — more than 3× the rate for conventional servers.
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