The story you're not hearing about AI data centers | Ayșe Coskun
TED Talks Daily
TED
4.1 • 12.1K Ratings
🗓️ 25 February 2026
⏱️ 14 minutes
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Summary
The race to build smarter AI is crashing into a physical limitation: the power grid simply can't keep up with the energy demands of data centers. Computer scientist Ayșe Coskun shows how we could turn this problem on its head, transforming AI facilities into virtual batteries that help stabilize the grid and accelerate clean energy. Learn why the technology causing this crisis might be the only thing smart enough to fix it.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas and conversations to spark your curiosity every day. |
| 0:13.3 | I'm your host, Elise Hume. |
| 0:15.3 | AI data centers are often blamed for straining power grids, heavy water usage, and driving up electricity demand. |
| 0:23.0 | This may be one of the biggest issues we face when it comes to AI. But computer scientist, |
| 0:27.9 | Aisha Josh Kuhn, says instead of competing with AI data centers over invaluable natural resources, |
| 0:35.1 | we should be asking a different question. How can we leverage AI to actually help stabilize the grid? |
| 0:41.5 | In this talk, Aisha shares how to turn the facilities seen as energy hogs |
| 0:46.4 | into flexible grid-supporting assets, a move that could prevent blackouts, lower costs, |
| 0:52.6 | and even accelerate the adoption of clean energy. |
| 0:55.8 | She shares why a sustainable future for AI exists |
| 0:58.8 | if we're bold enough to try. |
| 1:07.0 | Right now, the world isn't an AI race. |
| 1:11.6 | Companies, governments, universities are all racing to build bigger models, smarter systems, |
| 1:18.6 | and behind the scenes, they are racing to build more data centers to power AI. |
| 1:24.6 | But there's a problem. |
| 1:26.6 | We are running headfirst into the limits of our infrastructure. |
| 1:30.3 | The power grid includes all the infrastructure, power plants, transmission lines and all, |
| 1:36.3 | to generate and deliver power for our homes, our businesses, and now to AI data centers. |
| 1:42.3 | In the United States, the grid operators are reporting |
| 1:46.7 | that new AI data center projects are requesting power loads equal to entire cities. In some regions, |
| 1:55.2 | utilities simply can't keep up. So when you hear AI data center, what comes to mind? For many, it's one thing, energy hogs, |
| 2:07.6 | and they are not wrong. AI is dramatically accelerating the electricity demand of data centers. |
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