Technology

AI could consume more power than Bitcoin by the end of 2025

Published

11 months ago

May 29, 2025

AI could consume more power than Bitcoin by the end of 2025

AI could soon surpass Bitcoin mining in energy consumption, according to a new analysis that concludes artificial intelligence could use close to half of all the electricity consumed by data centers globally by the end of 2025.

The estimates come from Alex de Vries-Gao, a PhD candidate at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies who has tracked cryptocurrencies’ electricity consumption and environmental impact in previous research and on his website Digiconomist. He published his latest commentary on AI’s growing electricity demand last week in the journal Joule.

AI already accounts for up to a fifth of the electricity that data centers use, according to de Vries-Gao. It’s a tricky number to pin down without big tech companies sharing data specifically on how much energy their AI models consume. De Vries-Gao had to make projections based on the supply chain for specialized computer chips used for AI. He and other researchers trying to understand AI’s energy consumption have found, however, that its appetite is growing despite efficiency gains — and at a fast enough clip to warrant more scrutiny.

“Oh boy, here we go.”

With alternative cryptocurrencies to Bitcoin — namely Ethereum — moving to less energy-intensive technologies, de Vries-Gao says he figured he was about to hang up his hat. And then “ChatGPT happened,” he tells The Verge. “I was like, Oh boy, here we go. This is another usually energy-intensive technology, especially in extremely competitive markets.”

There are a couple key parallels he sees. First is a mindset of “bigger is better.” “We see these big tech [companies] constantly boosting the size of their models, trying to have the very best model out there, but in the meanwhile, of course, also boosting the resource demands of those models,” he says.

That chase has led to a boom in new data centers for AI, particularly in the US, where there are more data centers than in any other country. Energy companies plan to build out new gas-fired power plants and nuclear reactors to meet growing electricity demand from AI. Sudden spikes in electricity demand can stress power grids and derail efforts to switch to cleaner sources of energy, problems similarly posed by new crypto mines that are essentially like data centers used to validate blockchain transactions.

The other parallel de Vries-Gao sees with his previous work on crypto mining is how hard it can be to suss out how much energy these technologies are actually using and their environmental impact. To be sure, many major tech companies developing AI tools have set climate goals and include their greenhouse gas emissions in annual sustainability reports. That’s how we know that both Google’s and Microsoft’s carbon footprints have grown in recent years as they focus on AI. But companies usually don’t break down the data to show what’s attributable to AI specifically.

To figure this out, de Vries-Gao used what he calls a “triangulation” technique. He turned to publicly available device details, analyst estimates, and companies’ earnings calls to estimate hardware production for AI and how much energy that hardware will likely use. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which fabricates AI chips for other companies including Nvidia and AMD, saw its production capacity for packaged chips used for AI more than double between 2023 and 2024.

After calculating how much specialized AI equipment can be produced, de Vries-Gao compared that to information about how much electricity these devices consume. Last year, they likely burned through as much electricity as de Vries-Gao’s home country of the Netherlands, he found. He expects that number to grow closer to a country as large as the UK by the end of 2025, with power demand for AI reaching 23GW.

Last week, a separate report from consulting firm ICF forecasts a 25 percent rise in electricity demand in the US by the end of the decade thanks in large part to AI, traditional data centers, and Bitcoin mining.

It’s still really hard to make blanket predictions about AI’s energy consumption and the resulting environmental impact — a point laid out clearly in a deeply reported article published in MIT Technology Review last week with support from the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism. A person using AI tools to promote a fundraiser might create nearly twice as much carbon pollution if their queries were answered by data centers in West Virginia than in California, as an example. Energy intensity and emissions depend on a range of factors including the types of queries made, the size of the models answering those queries, and the share of renewables and fossil fuels on the local power grid feeding the data center.

It’s a mystery that could be solved if tech companies were more transparent

It’s a mystery that could be solved if tech companies were more transparent about AI in their sustainability reporting. “The crazy amount of steps that you have to go through to be able to put any number at all on this, I think this is really absurd,” de Vries-Gao says. “It shouldn’t be this ridiculously hard. But sadly, it is.”

Looking further into the future, there’s even more uncertainty when it comes to whether energy efficiency gains will eventually flatten out electricity demand. DeepSeek made a splash earlier this year when it said that its AI model could use a fraction of the electricity that Meta’s Llama 3.1 model does — raising questions about whether tech companies really need to be such energy hogs in order to make advances in AI. The question is whether they’ll prioritize building more efficient models and abandon the “bigger is better” approach of simply throwing more data and computing power at their AI ambitions.

When Ethereum transitioned to a far more energy efficient strategy for validating transactions than Bitcoin mining, its electricity consumption suddenly dropped by 99.988 percent. Environmental advocates have pressured other blockchain networks to follow suit. But others — namely Bitcoin miners — are reluctant to abandon investments they’ve already made in existing hardware (nor give up other ideological arguments for sticking with old habits).

There’s also the risk of Jevons paradox with AI, that more efficient models will still gobble up increasing amounts of electricity because people just start to use the technology more. Either way, it’ll be hard to manage the issue without measuring it first.

Related Topics:ai Bitcoin Climate crypto Energy environment science Tech

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Technology

A sleek, wearable airbag for cyclists is nearly here

Published

10 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

A sleek, wearable airbag for cyclists is nearly here

What you’re looking at is a new airbag system integrated directly into a “race-ready” skinsuit, not bolted on like other solutions. It was developed for road cyclists by Van Rysel, with the help of airbag technology specialist In&motion. It’s currently being tested on pro riders ahead of a general consumer release sometime “within the next two years.”

Its development comes after the UCI, pro cycling’s governing body, put out a call in February seeking gear that could help protect riders traveling faster than ever.

The current version is in final validation ahead of potential race deployment. It has a total weight of about 700 grams (500 grams for the airbag components), making it significantly lighter than airbag systems worn in MotoGP, says Van Rysel. And like the proven MotoGP solutions, Van Rysel’s Airbag deploys in just 60 milliseconds after its impact-detection algorithm senses that something has gone horribly wrong.

The skinsuit is design to be aerodynamic and to dissipate heat, with abrasion-resistant materials used to help reduce the risk of road rash and other surface-level skin injuries. The Airbag deploys to protect areas of the upper body not covered by a helmet, including the central core, cervical zone, and spinal line. More extensive protection will be explored in the future.

“Behind every race number, there’s a human being and sadly it is still widely accepted that a rider can lose everything in a fraction of a second due to a crash,” says Van Rysel product manager Jocelyn Bar. “What helmets represented 20 years ago, we think Airbag can represent today, but now, we’re looking beyond the head, we need to protect as much of the body as we can.”

Technology

Toyota joins hydrogen truck alliance push

Published

11 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Toyota joins hydrogen truck alliance push

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For years, the conversation around clean transportation has leaned heavily toward batteries. Longer range, faster charging, more EVs on the road. That’s been the story. So when Toyota Motor Corporation decided to team up with Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, it raised a fair question: Why double down on hydrogen now? The three companies plan to become equal partners in Cellcentric, a venture focused on fuel-cell systems for heavy-duty trucks and industrial vehicles. The goal is straightforward. Build better hydrogen systems, scale production, and make zero-emissions trucking more realistic. But under the surface, there’s a bigger shift happening.

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TOYOTA IS USING AI TO DESIGN BETTER CARS FASTER

Toyota’s hydrogen fuel-cell tech is already powering real-world trucks like this VDL test vehicle, showing how the company’s long-running investment is moving beyond cars. (Toyota Motor Corporation / VDL)

Hydrogen trucks vs battery trucks: two paths, not one

Most people think the future of clean vehicles is all battery-powered. That’s partly true, especially for cars. Heavy-duty trucking is a different story. Battery-electric trucks work well for shorter routes. However, long-haul freight brings different challenges. Bigger batteries add weight. Charging takes time. Payload capacity can take a hit. Hydrogen offers a different tradeoff. Fuel-cell trucks can refuel faster and travel longer distances without carrying massive battery packs. That makes them appealing for long-distance shipping, where every minute off the road matters. That’s exactly why this partnership exists. As Daimler Truck’s leadership has emphasized, hydrogen is meant to complement battery-electric systems, not replace them.

Toyota has been quietly building toward this for decades

This move might feel sudden, but Toyota has been laying the groundwork since the early 1990s. The company launched the Toyota Mirai in 2014, one of the first mass-produced hydrogen cars. On paper, it looked like a glimpse into the future. In practice, it struggled to catch on. Sales have been limited, and the biggest issue has not been the car itself. It’s the lack of hydrogen refueling infrastructure. In the U.S., you are mostly limited to California if you want to drive one regularly. Still, Toyota didn’t walk away. Instead, it expanded into trucks. It tested hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicles in Europe, partnered with manufacturers, and integrated fuel-cell systems into commercial platforms. That experience is now feeding directly into this new partnership.

Why teaming up makes sense right now

Building hydrogen technology is expensive. Building the infrastructure is even harder. That’s where this alliance comes in. By combining strengths, each company fills a gap. Toyota brings decades of fuel-cell research and manufacturing experience. Daimler Truck contributes deep knowledge of commercial vehicles and logistics. Volvo Group adds global scale and operational reach. Together, they can share costs, accelerate development, and push for infrastructure growth at the same time. That last piece matters most. Hydrogen only works if there are enough places to refuel. Europe is investing heavily in that network, with plans to expand significantly by 2030. This partnership positions all three companies to benefit if that rollout gains traction.

The bigger picture for EVs and clean tech

Daimler Truck’s GenH2 prototype highlights why hydrogen is gaining attention for long-haul freight, where fast refueling and extended range matter most. (Daimler Truck)

This does not mean battery EVs are slowing down. Automakers are still investing heavily in electric cars, better batteries and faster charging networks. Toyota itself continues to expand its EV lineup and production capabilities. What this partnership shows is a shift in strategy. Instead of betting everything on one approach, companies are spreading their bets across multiple technologies. That increases flexibility and improves the chances of meeting long-term emissions goals. Hydrogen may not dominate passenger cars. In trucking, though, it has a real opportunity.

TOYOTA UNVEILS HYDROGEN-POWERED PICKUP AND SUV

What this means to you

Even if you never plan to drive a hydrogen vehicle, this still affects you. Freight powers almost everything you buy. From groceries to electronics, trucks move it across long distances every day. If hydrogen helps clean up long-haul trucking, it could reduce emissions in one of the hardest sectors to fix. It also signals something important about the future of transportation. There won’t be a single solution that works everywhere. Different technologies will serve different needs depending on the job.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

At first glance, this move feels like a detour from the EV momentum we’ve been seeing. Look closer, and it starts to make more sense. Heavy-duty transport has unique demands. Hydrogen happens to solve some of them more efficiently than batteries can today. Toyota joining forces with Daimler Truck and Volvo is less about changing direction and more about covering all bases. If infrastructure catches up, this could become one of the more important shifts in clean transportation.

Volvo is also testing hydrogen-powered trucks in real conditions, reinforcing the idea that fuel cells could play a key role alongside battery-electric systems. (Volvo Group)

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So here’s the real question. If hydrogen ends up powering the trucks that deliver everything you rely on, does it matter what technology powers your own car? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

The Mercedes EQS returns with massive range and charging gains

Published

23 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

The Mercedes EQS returns with massive range and charging gains

A year ago, Mercedes-Benz did the prudent thing and paused its EQ lineup of electric vehicles in the US. With customer demand drying up for luxury EVs, and federal incentives getting axed by vengeful Republicans, Mercedes put its first-generation EVs on ice.

But then, in January, Mercedes quietly reintroduced the EQS brand in the US, with The Drive declaring that the “blobs are back” — a reference to the sedan’s much-maligned jelly-bean shape that prioritized aerodynamics over a more traditional profile. But we didn’t yet realize how back the EQS truly was.

Today, Mercedes is reintroducing its electric sedan to a wary, cash-strapped market, and it’s sweetening the pot with a crazy range estimate and an innovative steer-by-wire technology, a first for the German automaker. The 2027 EQS is scheduled to arrive at US dealerships in the second half of 2026.

Mercedes is truly not screwing around with the new EQS. The sedan is estimated to have 925km (575 miles) of range on the WLTP cycle (which tends to be around 10–20 percent more generous than the EPA’s estimates). This can be achieved thanks to a battery with a new chemistry that blends silicon oxide with graphite for the anodes, enabling a usable capacity of 122kWh. Mercedes is also cutting back on its use of cobalt, which has been called the “blood diamond of batteries” due to its ties to human rights abuses.

Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC

Charging will be much improved with the refreshed EQS, too. The automaker upgraded architecture to 800 volts, allowing for 350 kW DC fast charging, adding 320 km of range in just 10 minutes. When charging at a 400-volt station, the EQS’s intelligent control system virtually divides the battery into two parts, charing each half with 400 volts and up to 175kW of energy.

The inclusion of steer-by-wire is certainly a big risk. Steer-by-wire, in which the vehicle can be steered electronically rather than through a physical connection between the steering wheel and steering rack, could lead to improved maneuverability and enhanced comfort. Or it could lead to latency issues — although Mercedes says it has thoroughly tested its system for safety. A new steering yoke could help attract race enthusiasts to the dealership. But if you prefer a good old fashioned round-shape steering wheel and reliable electromechanical steering, Mercedes will be happy to sell you an EQS with those too.

The silhouette is still decidedly blob-like, but Mercedes maintains that the one-bow design enables an industry-leading drag coefficient of 0.20 — which is further optimized by “refined exterior mirrors.” This likely helps with range gains, but it could be a tough sell among shoppers who would prefer a few more sharp angles. Mercedes also boosted the regenerative braking power by a third for 385kW of recuperation.

Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC

Image: Mercedes-Benz

And, of course, there’s more AI integration, including Mercedes’ improved MB.OS operating system that features an AI-powered assistant and over-the-air software updates. The now standard 55-inch Hyperscreen has a “Zero Layer” interface for easier navigation. The operating system uses AI to learn which features you use the most, then surfaces those features as individual widgets on the main screen. Ideally, you don’t have to rummage through too many submenus to find what you want.

Mercedes plans on offering the EQS in a variety of packages. The EQS 450+ is the range leader, with a single, rear-wheel drive motor providing the most efficiency of all the versions. The EQS 500 4MATIC and EQS 580 4MATIC are both all-wheel drive, with an Integrated Disconnect Unit in the front motor. This allows the car to decouple the front motor when not needed to save energy, then activate it at “lightning speed” when the driver needs extra traction or a burst of acceleration. And these models will feature the most regen thanks to their ability to harvest energy from both axles during braking.

Image: Mercedes-Benz

The new EQS will come standard with MB.Drive Assist, the automaker’s advanced driver-assist system, that uses 10 cameras and 27 sensors for automatic lane changing, evasive steering, and automated parking. What it’s not, however, is Mercedes’ new Level 2++ feature called Drive Pilot Assist that is rolling out to the CLA electric sedan later this year. The system is similar to Tesla’s FSD in that it can be used hands-free in cities but requires the driver to stay attentive.

Mercedes hasn’t revealed the EQS’s price yet, but it is offering seemingly bottomless options for configuration and customization. This will be through the automaker’s Manufaktur Made to Measure program, which includes over 100 paint colors and other bespoke interior options. This could help shift the vibe around the EQS from a “series production” feel into “tailor-made” territory, allowing for combinations that wouldn’t be found on a standard dealership lot.

All in all, the new EQS will certainly help round out Mercedes’ EV lineup in the US, which is fluctuating right now. The automaker hasn’t said whether it will also resurrect the EQS SUV, or the EQE sedan and SUV. The CLA is doing a good job of turning heads. And Mercedes is sticking to its promise of introducing several new EVs in the US in the coming years, including variants of its GLC crossover and E-Class sedan.

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