Electricity consumption by global data centres (DC) is forecasted to double to 4% by 2030 as power-intensive generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) consumption grows, a report by Deloitte Global found.
Deloitte’s analysis reveals that 43% of employees in Asia Pacific are already leveraging GenAI, with Southeast Asia ranking second out of nine locations for gen AI use.
In its technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) 2025 predictions report released on Nov 28, Deloitte Global found that 25% of enterprises using gen AI are expected to deploy AI agents in 2025, growing to 50% in 2027.
More women are also expected to experiment with and use gen AI, equalling or exceeding that of men in the US by the end of 2025. This is compared to 2023 where women’s use of gen AI was just half that of men. Over the past year, Deloitte found that the proportion of women in the US adopting gen AI has tripled, significantly outpacing the 2.2 times growth rate seen among men.
Globally, the adoption gap is expected to close at varying rates with some countries and regions achieving equal usage by men and women in 2025 and others in 2026.
Gillian Crossan, Deloitte Global technology sector leader, notes that “while the rapid increase in women’s adoption of gen AI is promising, eliminating gender disparities in GenAI will require focused efforts.”
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The report also found that gen AI is set to make devices smarter.
In 2025, the share of shipping genAI-enabled smartphones could exceed 30%, in addition to approximately 50% of laptops with local gen AI processing capabilities.
While Deloitte predicts a 7% increase in global smartphone shipments in 2025, up from 5% in 2024, the report notes that the revenue impact is higher than the volume impact as consumers buy higher-priced smartphones equipped with advanced gen AI features.
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According to the report, the number of streaming video-on-demand subscriptions (SVOD) per household is expected to peak in 2025 at four services in the US and a little over two in Europe, then decline moving forward.
Looking ahead, Deloitte expects telecommunications (telco), wireless telco mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to rise, especially in Europe, enhancing network resilience and efficiency.
While Deloitte forecasts the overall number of M&A deals to remain steady at around 400, the focus will shift towards market-level consolidation.
"We are standing on the brink of a new era in human invention and the choices we make today around the development and use of artificial intelligence will shape the future,” says Ariane Bucaille, Deloitte Global TMT industry leader.
“As we define the roadmap for gen AI, we must navigate many challenges. By embracing trust, inclusivity, and sustainability, we can ensure that technological advancements positively impact not only the current generation but also businesses, consumers, and broader communities for generations to come,” she adds.
