- AI data centers consume a lot of energy, which impacts the electricity supply.
- Proximity to data centers correlates with distorted power readings, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
- Big tech companies are turning to alternative energy sources as they build more data centers.
Data centers in the United States consume so much energy that they could impact the flow of electricity to millions of Americans.
AI data centers are mushrooming across the country to meet the growing demand for AI, but they also absorb the energy that millions of Americans depend on.
The new technology requires enormous amounts of energy from grids that in some regions are already strained. Researchers estimated that AI centers could need three to five times more energy than traditional facilities, Business Insider previously reported.
A Bloomberg analysis evaluated the readings of some 770,000 homes from February to October and found that more than 75% of “highly distorted power readings across the country are within a 50-mile radius of significant power activity.” data center”.
Constraints on the power grid can lead to inconsistent power quality, and as power quality declines, the risk increases, Bloomberg reported. Inconsistent power flow can cause electronic components to overheat, leading to sparks and even house fires.
A small handful of big tech companies own the vast majority of the world’s data centers – and they show no signs of slowing down as they invest billions in building more powerful AI models.
Amazon, Google and Microsoft hold about 65% of the cloud infrastructure market, which includes data centers, according to a 2023 report from market research firm Synergy Research Group.
Google announced in April that it would invest $3 billion to build and expand data centers in Virginia and Indiana. The search engine giant unveiled its latest AI model, Gemini 2.0, in December.
Amazon, which is a major investor in AI startup Anthropic, is investing an additional $10 billion in Ohio data centers, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Dec. 16.
Microsoft, which invested $13 billion in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, said in September that the company had joined with other investors, including BlackRock, in a $100 billion energy infrastructure project. The project will include “new and expanded data centers,” the company said.
To meet The growing energy demand of AI, companies like Google have also started to turn to nuclear energy find more reliable and sustainable sources of energy.