Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates defended the substantial increase in energy consumption due to artificial intelligence systems, asserting that the technology would ultimately offset its high electricity usage. What Happened: Gates, speaking at the Breakthrough Energy Summit in London, urged environmentalists and governments to not overreact to the significant power needed to operate new generative AI systems, as reported by The Financial Times on Friday. The Microsoft co-founder highlighted Big Tech’s investments in AI systems, which are expected to drive a 2-6% increase in global electricity …
