Could Data Centers Break Our Power Grid? with Andrew Chien
From Big Brains by University of Chicago Podcast Network
March 6, 2026 · 37 min · Episode 189
About this episode
This episode discusses the impact of data centers on power grids and the environment with expert Andrew Chien.
Artificial intelligence may live in “the cloud,” but its footprint is firmly on the ground. As AI systems grow more powerful, the data centers that train and run them are consuming massive amounts of land, water and electricity—as well as reshaping regional power grids. What does this surge in demand mean for the environment, energy infrastructure, and the future of innovation? In this episode, we speak with UChicago computer scientist Andrew Chien, an expert in large-scale computing and cloud computing, about why these data centers require so much power, why they’re stirring such controversy—and whether there are sustainable approaches that could keep our energy use in check.
People in this episode
Guest: Andrew Chien
Topics covered
- data centers
- power grid
- artificial intelligence
- energy infrastructure
- sustainability
Keywords
- data centers
- power grid
- artificial intelligence
- energy consumption
- sustainability
- cloud computing
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Chicago, AI, cloud computing
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