Tech News
Back to home
Technology

Trump summons tech giants to White House to pledge power payment commitments — ‘ratepayer protection plan’ will make data center operators negotiate discrete payment structure for electricity use

Source

Tom's Hardware

Published

TL;DR

AI Generated

President Trump has called on major tech companies like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google to sign a new "ratepayer protection pledge" at the White House to address the soaring electricity costs driven by AI data centers. The pledge aims to make data center operators negotiate specific payment structures for their electricity use to alleviate the burden on consumers. Companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic have already committed to funding grid upgrades and covering infrastructure costs. While the administration hopes these commitments will lead to more affordable and secure energy, experts remain skeptical about the long-term effectiveness of these pledges without concrete actions from tech companies and regulatory bodies.

Read Full Article

Similar Articles

Maine governor vetoes bill that bans large new data centers — says legislature should’ve exempted one particular well-supported data center

Maine governor vetoes bill that bans large new data centers — says legislature should’ve exempted one particular well-supported data center

Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have banned new data center projects exceeding 20MW until 2027, citing concerns about their environmental impact and electricity rates. She supported the moratorium but wanted an exemption for a data center in Jay due to its positive local impact. Despite the veto, the legislature may override it, potentially affecting Mills' political standing. She plans to create a council to study data center impacts and signed a bill preventing them from accessing tax incentives. Residents' opposition to data centers due to increased costs and power quality issues is growing.

Tom's Hardware•
CPU requirements for AI workloads are multiplying, driving intensifying shortages and price hikes — Intel already shifting production from consumer chips to Xeon as inference workloads drive server CPU ratios back toward parity with GPUs

CPU requirements for AI workloads are multiplying, driving intensifying shortages and price hikes — Intel already shifting production from consumer chips to Xeon as inference workloads drive server CPU ratios back toward parity with GPUs

Intel is experiencing a surge in demand for server CPUs due to the increasing requirements for AI workloads, particularly in inference tasks. This shift has led to shortages and price hikes, with server CPU prices rising by up to 20% since March. The company is redirecting production from consumer chips to Xeon to meet the growing demand for data center chips. The ratio of CPUs to GPUs in data centers is expected to reach parity as AI workloads evolve, driving the need for more powerful CPUs. Intel anticipates further price increases in the second half of 2026 as demand continues to rise.

Tom's Hardware•
MIT Technology Review

The Download: murderous ‘mirror’ bacteria, and Chinese workers fighting AI doubles

Scientists initially proposed creating mirror bacteria with reversed proteins and sugars for research purposes, but now fear these organisms could pose a catastrophic threat to life on Earth. In China, tech workers are concerned about AI replication of their skills and personalities, leading to fears of losing professional identity. Meanwhile, the White House and Anthropic are working on a compromise, and other tech news includes Palantir's manifesto, Germany's push for looser AI rules, and Nvidia's shift towards AI over gaming.

MIT Technology Review•
US gov't blocks China's largest LED chipmaker's $239 million bid to acquire Dutch lighting firm Lumileds — US blocks acquisition attempt of European firm

US gov't blocks China's largest LED chipmaker's $239 million bid to acquire Dutch lighting firm Lumileds — US blocks acquisition attempt of European firm

The US government has blocked China's largest LED chipmaker, Sanan Optoelectronics, from acquiring Dutch lighting firm Lumileds for $239 million due to national security risks related to Lumileds' GaN chip technology. This marks the second time in a decade that a Chinese bid for Lumileds has been thwarted by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The concern lies in Lumileds' GaN chips, which have military applications, prompting CFIUS to prevent the acquisition. Sanan's failed bid comes amidst governance issues at the company, including the detention of its founder and a significant drop in market capitalization.

Tom's Hardware•

We use cookies

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. For more information on how we use cookies, please see our cookie policy.