Akash founder Greg Osuri warns AI training may trigger global energy crisis

Greg Osuri, the founder of Akash Network, has expressed concerns that the energy demands associated with training artificial intelligence models may escalate to levels comparable to those of a nuclear reactor. In an interview at Token2049 in Singapore, he emphasized that the industry's rapidly increasing compute requirements are often underestimated and highlighted the existing burden of data centers on fossil fuel energy consumption. The surge in energy costs linked to AI data centers has contributed to rising household electricity bills in the U.S., with a 267% increase in wholesale electricity costs in areas near these facilities over the past five years. Osuri advocates for decentralization as a solution, suggesting that distributing AI training across smaller networks of mixed GPUs could enhance efficiency and sustainability. This approach mirrors early Bitcoin mining, where regular users could leverage their spare computer power for rewards. However, he acknowledged significant challenges ahead, including technological improvements and fair incentive structures for participants.

Source 🔗