AI, Data Centers, and Energy
August 11, 2026
Abbe Ramanan | Clean Energy Group
As artificial intelligence use spreads, hundreds of data centers are being proposed and built across the United States. These data centers are large, they use a lot of energy, and they are being built extremely quickly, ushering in a new era of rising energy demand which is reshaping our electricity grid. Without strong protective polices, powering these data centers could have devastating impacts on both air quality and household energy bills across the US.
To help policymakers and community advocates better understand the energy impacts of AI and data centers, Clean Energy Group produced this 2-page fact sheet answering the following questions:
- What are data centers?
- What is AI?
- How is AI driving data center growth?
- Why is data center electricity use a concern?
- What can be done to address these impacts?
Clean Energy Group has compiled additional resources related to data centers and energy on the Data Center Resource Guide webpage, including data center mapping tools, advocacy and policy toolkits, and an extensive list of research and background reading on topics including grid impacts, demand management, renewables and energy storage, and regulatory and ratepayer protections.