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AI data centers are making your electricity supply worse and could damage your home, new study says

Dec 29, 2024 - businessinsider.com
AI data centers in the United States are consuming significant amounts of power, potentially impacting the electricity supply to millions of Americans. These centers, which require three to five times the energy of traditional facilities, are contributing to stressed power grids, leading to inconsistent power quality and increased risks such as overheating electronics and house fires. A Bloomberg analysis found that over 75% of highly distorted power readings are within 50 miles of significant data center activity. As demand for AI grows, large tech companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are investing heavily in building more data centers, further straining the power infrastructure.

To address these energy demands, tech giants are exploring alternative energy sources. Google is investing in nuclear power for more reliable and sustainable energy, while Amazon and Microsoft are making substantial investments in data center expansions and energy infrastructure projects. These companies dominate the cloud infrastructure market, with Amazon, Google, and Microsoft owning about 65% of it. Despite the challenges, they continue to invest billions into developing more powerful AI models and expanding their data center capabilities.

Key takeaways:

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  • AI data centers are consuming significant power, impacting the electricity supply and potentially affecting millions of Americans.
  • Proximity to data centers is correlated with distorted power readings, with over 75% of such readings occurring within 50 miles of significant data center activity.
  • Big Tech companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are investing billions in building more data centers and exploring alternative energy sources to meet AI's increasing energy demands.
  • Google has started turning to nuclear power as a more reliable and sustainable energy source to support its data centers.
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