AI Data Centers Projected to Drive Massive Copper Demand, Spotlighting Trilogy Metals' Alaska Projects

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure is creating unprecedented demand for copper, with data centers powering AI workloads projected to consume more than 4 million tonnes of the metal by 2035. This surge intensifies an already looming global copper shortfall, putting pressure on mining companies to develop new sources of the critical mineral.

According to Bloomberg analysts, the AI sector could require more than 400,000 tonnes of copper annually through the next decade. Data centers require immense amounts of copper for power distribution, thermal regulation, and efficient conductivity, making the metal essential for AI infrastructure development.

Trilogy Metals Inc. (NYSE American: TMQ) (TSX: TMQ) stands at the center of this supply dynamic through its 50% stake in Alaska's Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects. The company, through its 50/50 joint venture Ambler Metals LLC with South32, controls what are considered among North America's richest undeveloped copper districts in the Ambler Mining District.

The company is advancing both the Arctic and Bornite deposits within the district, which together could underpin decades of future copper production. The Ambler Mining District hosts volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits that contain significant copper resources critical for meeting the growing demands from AI infrastructure, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and grid modernization projects.

The convergence of multiple demand drivers—AI data centers, renewable energy transition, and electrification of transportation—creates a perfect storm for copper supply constraints. This makes development of new copper projects like those controlled by Trilogy Metals increasingly vital for global technological advancement and infrastructure development.