Holiverse founder points to energy constraints as a growing challenge for AI

As artificial intelligence systems continue to scale, their rising energy demands are emerging as a potential constraint on future development, according to Lado Okhotnikov, founder of biotech and technology platform Holiverse.

Industry estimates suggest global data center energy use could rise significantly before the end of the decade, largely due to the growing computational demands of advanced AI models. This has renewed questions over whether today’s power infrastructure can keep up.

Okhotnikov acknowledged that renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal already play an important role in meeting current demand.

However, he noted that land-based renewables may face limitations when applied to always-on, global AI systems:

The vision for a space-based energy backbone

One concept receiving growing attention is Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP), which involves placing solar arrays in orbit to collect continuous sunlight and transmit energy wirelessly to Earth.

Space agencies including the European Space Agency, NASA, and Japan’s JAXA are currently researching the feasibility of space-based solar power, and a 2025 techno-economic study focused on the European energy grid found that SBSP could help provide stable, continuous power alongside intermittent renewable sources.

According to Okhotnikov, Holiverse is examining how future AI infrastructure could be supported by alternative energy models, such as space-based systems, as part of a longer-term research outlook.

Building the foundation for a limitless AI future

While space-based solar power is still in the research phase, progress in reusable launch systems, robotics, and materials science has brought the concept closer to practical consideration. Even so, major technical, regulatory, and cost hurdles remain before it can be deployed at scale.

As AI continues to spread across fields such as climate modeling, healthcare, and scientific research, questions about how to power it are becoming increasingly central to its long-term growth.

Featured image via Shutterstock.