US Energy Crisis Threatens AI Progress

Casey Crownhart, senior reporter for energy at MIT Technology Review, notes that the biggest barrier to AI progress is not money, but energy. "In the age of AI, the biggest barrier to progress isn't money but energy," Crownhart said. "That should be particularly worrying here in the US, where massive data centers are waiting to come online, and it doesn't look as if the country will build the steady power supply or infrastructure needed to serve them all." For about a decade before 2020, data centers were able to offset increased demand with efficiency improvements. However, electricity demand is now ticking up in the US, with billions of queries to popular AI models each day, and efficiency gains are not keeping pace. As a result, the strain is starting to show, with electricity bills ballooning for people who live in places where data centers are located. The issue is not unique to the US, but the country's energy infrastructure is particularly vulnerable to the growing demand for power from data centers. According to Crownhart, the US has not built enough new power capacity to meet the needs of its growing data center industry. "It wasn't always like this," Crownhart said. "For about a decade before 2020, data centers were able to offset increased demand with efficiency improvements. Now, though, electricity demand is ticking up in the US, with billions of queries to popular AI models each day, and efficiency gains aren't keeping pace." China, on the other hand, is rapidly building out its renewable energy infrastructure, which is expected to help the country leapfrog on AI progress. According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), China's renewable energy capacity is expected to increase by 30% in 2023, driven by the country's ambitious targets for solar and wind power. The implications of the US's energy infrastructure challenges for AI progress are significant. As AI continues to transform industries and societies around the world, the need for reliable and efficient power is becoming increasingly critical. Without a robust energy infrastructure, the US risks falling behind other nations in its ability to develop and deploy AI, with potentially far-reaching consequences for the country's economy and global influence. The situation is not without hope, however. Some experts believe that the US can still catch up with China and other nations by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. "The US has a unique opportunity to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency measures that can help meet the growing demand for power from data centers," said Pilita Clark, FT's columnist. "By doing so, the country can reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and create a more sustainable energy future that supports the development of AI." As the US continues to grapple with its energy infrastructure challenges, the world is watching with interest. The country's ability to provide a steady power supply and necessary infrastructure to support the development and deployment of AI will have significant implications for its global influence and economic prospects.