Akash Founder Greg Osuri Warns AI Could Cause Global Energy Problems

Greg Osuri, the founder of Akash Network, told Cointelegraph that training artificial intelligence (AI) models could soon need as much energy as a nuclear power plant. He says the AI industry needs a more sustainable approach before it causes serious problems.

AI and Energy Use

AI models are growing bigger and need more computing power. Osuri explained that data centers, which run AI systems, already use hundreds of megawatts of electricity, mostly from fossil fuels. This heavy energy use can increase household power bills and create millions of tons of carbon emissions every year.

Osuri warned, “We’re getting to a point where AI is killing people,” referring to the health impacts from pollution near big data centers.

How Decentralization Can Help

Osuri suggests a solution: decentralized AI training. Instead of concentrating energy use in huge data centers, AI could be trained across many smaller computers, including gaming PCs and personal devices.

He explained, “Once incentives are figured out, this will take off like mining did for Bitcoin.” People could earn tokens by sharing their computer’s spare power to train AI models, similar to how early Bitcoin miners earned rewards.

This approach could reduce energy costs, lower carbon emissions, and give everyday people a role in the AI industry.

Challenges Ahead

While promising, decentralized AI training faces challenges. Different computers use different GPUs, so coordinating them is difficult. Osuri said companies are starting to experiment, but no one has yet fully run a large AI model this way.

Another challenge is creating fair incentives. Osuri asked, “Why would someone give their computer to train? What do they get back?” Solving this is harder than developing the AI technology itself.

Why It Matters

Osuri believes decentralized AI is essential for the future. Spreading AI workloads across global networks could:

  • Reduce pressure on energy grids
  • Cut carbon emissions
  • Make AI development more affordable and sustainable

As AI continues to grow, Osuri’s warning shows that sustainable AI is not just a choice — it’s a necessity. read more