Data centers drove half of all new US power demand last year
Fortune writeup of the latest IEA numbers. Data centers drove about 50% of the growth in US electricity demand in 2025, the single largest contributor, and basically all of that is AI buildout. Worldwide the figure was 17%, so the US is absorbing most of this.
It is landing right as public opinion turns. Pew has people now more concerned than excited about AI, over half expecting it to do more harm than good long term, with data center energy and environmental cost named as a specific reason. 16 projects worth a combined $64B hit local opposition delays last year.
feels like the "AI is amazing" honeymoon and the "wait, what is this actually costing" backlash are arriving at the same moment. do you think the pushback changes the trajectory at all, or is the buildout already too far along to slow down?