Former U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that, if he returns to office, he intends to ensure that technology companies pay the full cost of the electricity consumed by artificial-intelligence data centers rather than shifting those expenses onto utility customers. This stance reflects growing political attention on how the rapid expansion of energy-hungry AI infrastructure can affect local power grids and household electricity rates.
Trump and his allies argue that data centers — which require large amounts of continuous electricity to run AI workloads and cooling systems — should not be subsidised indirectly by residential ratepayers. They contend that companies benefiting from the AI boom should shoulder the costs associated with their energy use, including infrastructure upgrades and grid capacity enhancements.
The proposal aligns with broader concerns among some lawmakers and regulators about fairness in energy pricing, grid reliability, and the impact of tech infrastructure on local communities. Supporters of the approach say it could protect consumers from rising bills and ensure that tech firms contribute their fair share toward the costs of the physical systems they rely on.
Critics warn that forcing tech companies to absorb higher power costs could slow investment in AI infrastructure and shift data center development to other regions. They also note that complex regulatory and market factors determine energy pricing and that simply raising costs for data centers may not translate cleanly into better outcomes for consumers.
Overall, Trump’s comments highlight how artificial intelligence and its energy demands are becoming prominent political issues, with policymakers debating how to balance innovation, economic growth, and public cost burdens as AI continues to expand.
