[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] AI Energy Requirements

Wed Jan 1 19:29:23 PST 2025

« Virginia’s energy needs are
surging, driven by the rapid growth of data centers that power big tech operations. «   —

Use of « need(s) » is common, but it is misleading.  Virginia citizenry doesn’t need all that extra power.  Companies which are building data centers are the ones who desire – « need » – the extra power generating and grid capacity.  It will be interesting to learn whether they stick ordinary Virginians with the bill.
    – Mike Alexander

On Wednesday, January 1, 2025, 10:11 PM, carllazarus--- via LCTG <lctg at lists.toku.us> wrote:

I know this future fusion power plant was announced, but it seems very premature when there has still been no demonstration of controlled fusion yielding a true net energy production.  It sounds to me like an announcement designed to attract investments.

-- Carl

-----Original Message-----
From: LCTG <lctg-bounces+carllazarus=comcast.net at lists.toku.us> On Behalf Of Larry Wittig via LCTG
Sent: Wednesday, January 1, 2025 3:55 PM
To: Jerome Slate <SlateMD at comcast.net>
Cc: Lexington Computer Group New Address Distribution <lctg at lists.toku.us>; George W. Griffith <george.griffith at inl.gov>
Subject: Re: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] AI Energy Requirements

In the past few weeks, Commonwealth Fusion Systems announced that it will build its first "on-the-grid" fusion power plant in Chesterfield, VA. It cited "The announcement comes as Virginia’s energy needs are surging, driven by the rapid growth of data centers that power big tech operations. These facilities consume enormous amounts of electricity and water to process and cool computer systems." This is fusion, not the "Small modular nuclear [fission] reactors" cited above.

On Tue, Dec 31, 2024 at 4:18 PM Jerome Slate via LCTG <lctg at lists.toku.us> wrote:
>
> Dear LTCG Group,
> No worries about the AI energy load ~ 40% increase in USA energy output by 2050.
> Small modular nuclear reactors are coming to the rescue.
> We will have a live speaker on this topic on Feb 12.
> George W Griffith PhD from the Idaho National Laboratory, part of the Dept of Energy, will present this topic.
> We are all saved.
>
> Jerry Slate
>
>
> On 12/31/2024 11:05 AM, Robert Primak via LCTG wrote:
>
> The problem is, New Scientist has a paywall. To read the article we 
> would have to subscribe. (Which might not be a bad idea for some of 
> us.)
>
> But anyone can listen to this audio-only breakdown of the same fundamental concepts.
>
> How Running AI Computations Backwards Can Save Energy
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKAwpyj98m0
> The Singularity Labs | 12:35 m:s
>
> Fascinating discussion, and makes the concepts much clearer.
>
> BTW, reverse-time computation has nothing to do with time as in space-time. It's a technique of doing some calculations back-to-front, as well as front-to-back. It can be much more efficient in terms of CPU and NPU loads, as well as making the computations happen faster.
>
> Pruning of irrelevant background details has an even greater effect on computational efficiency.
>
> Given the huge energy demands of AI, as well as AI's tendency to use up a lot of GPU and other hardware resources, this is an important area of concern.
>
> -- Bob Primak
>
> On Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at 10:10:16 AM EST, John Rudy via LCTG <lctg at lists.toku.us> wrote:
>
>
> I have been getting this very interesting magazine for a couple of months.  It is mostly short stories on a VERY wide swath of technical issues.  Seems to be UK based.  It is a weekly of about 40 pages, and  the 12/29 article had this article on the cost of AI computing and the way in which computers use so much money erasing data.  I only partially understand it but it appears to be well worth reading.  Then someone with more knowledge that I can explain it at a meeting.
>
>
>
> https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435231-300-how-to-fix-computi
> ngs-ai-energy-problem-run-everything-backwards/
>
>
>
> John Rudy
>
>
>
> 781-861-0402
>
> 781-718-8334  cell
>
> 13 Hawthorne Lane
>
> Bedford MA
>
> jjrudy1 at comcast.net
>
>
>
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