UN report: 10 key figures on AI in 2026 (legrandcontinent.eu)

• 11,033 global data centers in 2025; 38% in the US.
• AI data centers consumed 448 TWh electricity (2025), nearly as much as France.
• Global AI spending to exceed $2.5 trillion in 2026.

"A new UN report quantifies the environmental footprint of AI infrastructure. In 2025, there were 11,033 data centers globally, 4,165 in the US. Only 32 countries have AI-specialized centers. Data center electricity consumption reached 448 TWh, nearly as much as France. It could double to 945 TWh by 2030. Carbon emissions were 189 Mt CO2-equivalent. AI's water footprint could reach 9.3 trillion liters per year by 2030. ChatGPT processes 2.5 billion queries daily. Global AI spending is expected to exceed $2.5 trillion in 2026."