How The AI Race is Driving an Energy Wild West

WSJ What’s News

The Wall Street Journal

News, Daily News

4 • 4K Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2025

⏱️ 15 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A.M. Edition for Oct. 16. President Trump has authorized CIA covert operations in Venezuela, with the president saying land strikes in the country are also possible. Plus, Trump touts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pledge to pause Russian oil purchases, but WSJ's Tripti Lahiri says that might not be so straightforward. And as tech companies try to race ahead in the AI arms race, WSJ’s Jennifer Hiller details how an archaic U.S. power grid is leading companies to build their own power plants to fuel data centers. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:28.3	Crude prices gain as President Trump says India plans to pause buying Russian oil.
0:34.4	Plus, the Trump administration moves to weaponize the IRS in its campaign against
0:39.9	left-leaning groups. And tech companies pushing for AI dominance are desperate for power. Lots of it.
0:47.4	We're seeing a lot of different creative solutions out there, but what some tech companies
0:52.0	and data center developers are doing is essentially building
0:55.6	their own power on site and providing their own power plants.
1:00.7	It's Thursday, October 16th. I'm Caitlin McKay for the Wall Street Journal, and here's the
1:05.4	AM edition of What's News, the top headlines and business stories moving your world today.
1:14.0	President Trump has authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela while floating the
1:20.0	idea of land strikes inside the country as the U.S. broadens its campaign against alleged drug
1:26.2	trafficking.
1:32.9	An administration official said the authorization allows the CIA to potentially take action against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, his government, and drug traffickers.
1:38.8	Asked by a reporter if the CIA would have the power to remove Maduro, Trump said it was a
1:43.6	quote, ridiculous question.
1:45.7	A CIA spokesman declined to comment.
1:47.9	In a televised speech yesterday, Maduro appealed for peace, while lashing out at the CIA's
1:57.9	involvement in past conflicts in Latin America.
	...

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