Leading tech executives are urging the U.S. Congress to increase energy production, warning that soaring demand from artificial intelligence could soon overwhelm current power capacity. As data centers expand rapidly to support AI development, their already large energy use is expected to grow even faster in the coming years.
Industry leaders argue that the U.S. must act now to stay competitive with global rivals, especially China. “We need energy in all forms,” said Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO and head of the Special Competitive Studies Project. “Renewable, nonrenewable, whatever. It needs to be there, and it needs to be there quickly.”
Ensuring enough energy to meet AI’s rising needs has become a rare bipartisan concern in Washington. But political divisions remain over how to achieve that goal. In 2023, President Joe Biden signed an executive order aimed at promoting the safe and responsible use of AI. When Donald Trump returned to office this year, he immediately overturned the order, calling its rules “onerous” and a threat to U.S. innovation. Trump instead is pushing for aggressive dominance in AI development, with less emphasis on regulation.
AI’s energy demands are already staggering. In 2024, data centers consumed about 415 terawatt-hours of electricity—roughly 1.5% of global electricity use. According to the International Energy Agency, that figure could double by 2030.
Power grids worldwide are already under pressure. Countries like Ireland, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia are struggling to power data centers that are still under construction. In the U.S., a recent study warns that billions of dollars in new power generation and transmission will be needed within years. Without that investment, American energy bills could rise by up to 70%.
The surge in demand also raises concerns about climate change. Experts fear that ramping up fossil fuel use to meet AI needs could derail international climate targets. Even tech giants face difficult trade-offs. Google admitted last year that its push for AI may conflict with its net-zero emissions goal. Its carbon output rose nearly 50% over five years.
“This has created a challenge like we have never seen before,” said Jason Shaw, chairman of Georgia’s Public Service Commission. “When you look at the numbers, it is staggering. It makes you scratch your head and wonder how we ended up in this situation.”
Still, not everyone sees doom ahead. Some experts believe the panic over AI energy demand is overstated. They point to the ongoing race to make AI more energy efficient.
Christina Shim, head of sustainability at IBM, offered a more optimistic view in Fortune: “Raising a flag over AI’s energy use makes sense. It identifies an important challenge and can help rally us toward a collective solution. But we should balance the weight of the challenge with the incredible, rapid innovation that is happening.”
As AI continues to grow, so does the urgency of balancing progress with sustainability. The road ahead will likely require both innovation and major infrastructure changes.
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