President Biden today issued an executive order aimed at accelerating the development of AI data centers in the US.
It directs the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to lease federal sites to private companies building gigawatt-scale artificial intelligence data centers and clean energy facilities. It also tells federal agencies to “prioritize” and accelerate the enabling of AI infrastructure. The measure could create “categorical exemptions” to expedite environmental review under the National Environmental Protection Act.
Developing new AI tools is an increasingly energy-hungry endeavor. Still, the Biden administration seems to think it’s worth the risk of further undermining US climate goals and putting additional pressure on already stressed energy grids.
Developing new AI tools is an increasingly energy-hungry endeavor
“We will not allow America to be built out when it comes to the technology that will define the future,” Joe Biden said in a statement today.
Before today’s announcement — in response to reports that the White House was considering measures to fast-track data center development — environmental and consumer groups and Democratic lawmakers had urged the White House to avoid exempting AI from typical permit procedures and environmental standards.
“We urge you to reconsider any potential executive action that could lead to increased pollution and costs to consumers,” says a letter sent by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward Markey (D-MA). ), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) on the Biden administration on December 17. “We are the United States of America; there is no doubt that we can win the AI race by accelerating our decarbonisation efforts,” it said.
Electricity demand from data centers has tripled over the past decade, according to estimates released by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) on December 20. It is likely to double or triple again by 2028, according to the report. Data centers used about 4.4 percent of US electricity in 2023, which could grow to 12 percent by 2028.
This increase in demand is a result of the tremendous computing power required to train AI models. Utilities are already extending the lives of polluting coal and gas infrastructure in an effort to meet growing electricity demand. As a result, customers also face rising electricity bills.
Developers who build new AI data centers on federal land will be required to “pay all costs of building and operating the AI infrastructure so that such development does not increase electricity prices for consumers,” according to the White House.
This includes building the data center itself, as well as power facilities and transmission lines. Companies will be responsible for sourcing the electricity their data centers use from new “clean” electricity sources. They will also have to assess the security implications of AI designs developed at federal sites and buy “an appropriate portion” of American-made semiconductors.
“In the race to dominate artificial intelligence, we cannot forget the very real race to stop the pollution that is warming our planet and harming our health,” said Johanna Neumann, a senior director at the Center for Environmental Research and Policy at America. a statement of December 19.
Neumann argued that the focus should be on ensuring that new computing devices are more efficient and that they run on renewable electricity. “Without those guardrails, AI’s unquenchable thirst for energy risks derailing America’s efforts to wean itself off dirty and dangerous fossil fuels.” Neumann added.
The government already leases federal lands for energy production, including fossil fuel exploration and renewable energy projects. According to the executive order, by February 28, the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Energy are supposed to find at least three sites each to host new AI data centers on land that their departments manage.
