Trump asks tech companies to “pay their own way” for their data centers (www.techradar.com)

Former President Trump has urged major tech companies, particularly focusing on AI data centers, to "pay their own way" amid rising electricity costs impacting American households. He emphasized that the burden of these costs shouldn't fall on consumers, especially as some communities experience spikes in utility bills attributed to the energy demands of data centers. Microsoft has responded by implementing significant changes aimed at mitigating its energy impact, particularly following community pushback against its planned data center in Wisconsin. This call to action is particularly relevant for the AI/ML community as it highlights the growing tension between technological advancements and their environmental and economic implications. With electricity prices rising nationally—up 5.1% overall between September 2024 and 2025—tech giants are encouraged to adopt sustainable practices. Some companies, including Oracle and OpenAI, are exploring off-grid solutions to alleviate community concerns. The outcome of these discussions may prompt transformative shifts in how data centers operate, potentially affecting the scalability and sustainability of AI technologies moving forward.