Gold isn’t just a financial asset anymore. The AI boom is creating real physical demand. In 2026, the AI sector alone is projected to consume over 50 tonnes of gold, up from 40 in 2025. Gold is critical for the connectors, circuit boards and high-frequency chips that AI infrastructure runs on.
The World Gold Council estimates total electronics demand for gold hit 280 tonnes last year and expects a 5-8% jump this year driven by AI hardware and 5G expansion. Meanwhile, Equinox Gold just used AI software called DORA to discover a new gold deposit near its Valentine Mill in Canada with grab samples grading up to 650 g/t. So AI is both consuming gold and finding it. Interesting loop.