Are We Underestimating the ESG Cost of AI and Data Growth? The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and data infrastructure is redefining business competitiveness—but it is also quietly reshaping the sustainability landscape. Data centers, the backbone of AI, are now estimated to account for around 1–2% of global electricity consumption, with projections suggesting this could double by 2030 as generative AI scales. The environmental cost is no longer marginal—it is