Data center expansion

Join the CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department’s Matt Pearl, Aalok Mehta, Joseph Majkut, and Philip Luck for a discussion on the rapid expansion of data centers and what it means for the future of AI, energy and U.S. competitiveness.

As artificial intelligence accelerates demand for compute power, data centers have emerged as a critical piece of strategic infrastructure shaping electricity demand, industrial policy, environmental debates, and global technology competition.

The conversation will examine the growing tensions surrounding data center expansion, including questions around grid reliability, local community impacts, permitting and zoning, clean energy goals and national security. Panelists will also explore how policymakers should weigh the local costs of data centers against their broader economic and strategic benefits, and what role the United States’ data center capacity will play in the global race for AI leadership.