Elon Musk warns the US could soon be producing more AI chips than we have the power to turn on. And China doesn’t have the same issue. Two massive US data centers may sit empty for years waiting for electricity to power them. China is already well ahead of the US when it comes to power capacity.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-warns-u-could-174117527.html
Posted by mafco
28 Comments
In the voice of Homer Simpson
“DOGE!”
See slide 10 here (great report overall):
https://gridstrategiesllc.com/wp-content/uploads/Grid-Strategies-National-Load-Growth-Report-2025.pdf
Basically data center developers typically submit overly ambitious (some may even say speculative) capacity requirements with their grid connection requests.
They don’t yet have the confirmed availability for GPUs that will actually use up that capacity. Nor do they have confirmed the end use AI consumption. But they ask for as much as they *think* they will need, with a lot of contingencies still open. This isn’t entirely unlike energy developers who might lack adequate land rights and PV panels for when they submit a large solar project. I think some amount of speculation is Ok, but too much bogs down the works (as seen by high withdrawal rate of certain projects in several areas).
Which brings us to today’s cluster F that is large load forecasting and service connection queues!
Elon Musk can stfu given his support for the cause of this issue.
lol whatever man
GOOD. Let the bubble pop, and the data centers remain unbuilt, and GPUs/RAM get affordable again.
Omg we didn’t invest in any infrastructure and now it’s a problem.
It is already happening. Iirc and please correct me if the source is at hand, 600.000 chips are not in use because everything else is not ready. Whether it is power supply, the rest of the server or even the building where the server farm will be housed.
If only the United States had a northern neighbour who was not only an energy/electricity superpower, but also the cleanest producer of electricity. Imagine if that country could’ve been an ally.
Imagine.
Well there is a 24 month to 48 month wait list for the transformers and step downs required to power those data centers. Corporations do not get first dibs, it goes to emergency services and public services first.
If you are buying into the AI data center stock, there is a ceiling of… there is no way to power that many data centers because THE WORLD does not have the manufacturing capacity. It is not cost effective until governments are willing to pay more for these parts. When I say governments, I mean the government allow your rates to go up 30% over two years, then another 30%, and another 30%… so we can subsidize data centers and privatize the profits while we become unemployed.
Data centers need to… adapt and become… don’t know, modular. Solar farms with battery back ups and idled natural gas plants. They should not need these huge investments in infrastructure. They should invest in themselves and leave the public alone.
Well, Musk voted for and funded this happening.
Why does anyone listen to this asshole? We have more than enough power to power these fucking AI datacenters. It’s just that Musk doesn’t want to have to pay the utility companies for the power. He wants the utility company to put in infrastructure especially for him and to be paid for on the backs of all the existing utility customers. And after the infrastructure is put into place, he expects a highly discounted rate. A rate the existing utility customer will not be able to get.
Musk and conservatives: Time to turn on more Coal plants to bridge that gap!
I rarely listen to *checks notes* drug-addled, racist AND rapist, compulsive liar, pedophiles? Seriously?
*checks notes again* Wow.
Points at the USA’s current policies on rolling out solar, wind and batteries and laughs in mandarin.
Congress needs to pass a law that all AI data centers need to be run on green energy
Put solar panels on every building
You have the money
Pedo says what?
So these massively profitable companies like google….can’t build a power station?
Could it because of WIND, or SOLAR?!?!?!?
just asking
Why are these apparently sprawling facilities not absolutely covered in solar panels and matching battery systems?!
The Nazi is unhappy with the country’s power generation capacity.
Dipshit high on ketamine says something, we should all definitely listen to him
Seems a bit like an intended distraction, no?
Well you bribed and helped elect the guy who stopped all green energy initiatives.
The well fare queen knows best
China has invested incredible amounts of money to develop alternative energy which can power their future development. The Republicans have done all they could to frustrate the development of alternative energy in the United States. Now here we are – perhaps hopelessly behind China.
article from Jan 22
Well they have a lot of renewable energy. Coquinkydink – NO
Musk is actually correct about about the US potentially kneecapping its own AI industry with its backwards energy strategy. But the irony is Musk himself is a big part of the US’ problem.