US billionaire Elon Musk has warned that global energy infrastructure could face serious strain within the next three years due to the rapidly growing energy demands of artificial intelligence systems.
Speaking on the Checking Paint podcast, Musk said that within 30 to 36 months, existing power grids may struggle to cope with AI-driven electricity consumption, potentially leading to widespread power outages that could disrupt essential digital services.
To address the challenge, the Tesla CEO outlined an unprecedented proposal involving moving part of global computing capacity into space. The plan includes deploying up to one million small satellites in low Earth orbit, powered by solar energy, to provide sustainable computing resources beyond the limits of Earth-based power grids.
