Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly polarizing—not just because of the content it produces or which jobs it might displace, but because many Americans believe it is driving up their electric bills.
Currently, most data centers draw from the public grid rather than securing their own energy sources—a fact that many associate with sky-high electricity prices. Responding to widespread bipartisan concern, President Trump gathered various technology executives at the White House this week to sign a pledge promising not to raise energy prices for consumers. Tech leaders should respond to this momentum by embracing data centers that are co-located with energy sources rather than relying on the grid’s power. Solutions like this will ensure everyday Americans never foot the bill for our country’s AI ambitions.
Most existing data centers are plugged into the grid, so they use the same energy supply on which households depend. When demand grows, utility companies often need to pass on costs of grid upgrades to consumers, so households end up paying more for their electricity. The pledge responds to this reality, but temporarily covering those costs and permanently eliminating them are two different things. There is a logical next step to turn promises into action.
