OpenAI urges Biden for 5GW data centers to power 3M homes

OpenAI has proposed to the Biden administration the establishment of five-gigawatt data centers across various states, which would generate enough energy to power nearly three million homes. This initiative follows a meeting between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and other tech leaders with White House officials, where they discussed the economic and national security advantages of such an expansion. The document shared with the government highlights the need for enhanced AI infrastructure to maintain the U.S.'s competitive edge against countries like China. The push for these data centers is driven by the increasing energy demands of AI technologies, which could account for 20% to 25% of U.S. power consumption by 2030, a significant rise from the current 4% or less. Altman is reportedly in discussions to construct five to seven data centers, each with a capacity of five gigawatts. This expansion is seen as crucial for boosting the economy, creating jobs, and advancing AI model development. In addition to the proposed data centers, Altman has invested $20 million in Exowatt, a startup focused on addressing the energy needs of AI data centers. The energy requirements of AI systems have raised concerns, with figures like Bill Gates defending the increased consumption by suggesting that the benefits of AI will outweigh its energy costs. Former President Donald Trump expressed surprise at the high energy demands of AI during a conversation with Elon Musk. Recently, Constellation Energy entered a 20-year agreement with Microsoft, OpenAI's largest investor, to provide carbon-free energy, which includes the restart of the Three Mile Island Unit 1. This collaboration underscores the urgency of addressing the energy challenges posed by the rapid growth of AI technologies.