Balance of Power

The Power Needs of AI Are Becoming a Crunch Issue for Governments

Governments are already conducting probes of AI’s energy use.

Golden shovels and a hardhat at a data center groundbreaking ceremony in Piketon, Ohio, on March 20.Photographer: Brian Kaiser/Bloomberg

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By Alan Crawford

May 8, 2026 at 9:59 AM UTC

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For all the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence, from streamlined healthcare to humanoid robots, some big questions over its downsides won’t go away.