As artificial intelligence has rapidly expanded, so too have data centers designed to train and run it. Pew Research notes that tech companies have invested billions into data centers in recent years, but what sort of impact will those centers have on our nation?

Who is praying on the wall?

View Comments (4)

From Pew Research Center:

Data centers are large buildings that house rows of computer servers, data storage systems and networking equipment, as well as the power and cooling systems that keep them running. This infrastructure is essential for companies that provide digital services. Whenever you send an email, stream your favorite TV show, save a family photo to “the cloud” or ask a chatbot a question, you’re interacting with a data center.

…

Some of the nation’s key data center hubs are in northern Virginia, Dallas, Chicago and Phoenix. It’s likely they’ll retain their leading status: Half of the data centers currently being built in the U.S. are part of preexisting large clusters, according to an April report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

…

Total annual U.S. electricity consumption hit a record high in 2024, and that ceiling could rise if data centers continue expanding at their current pace.

While it is hard to get an exact number, Pew notes that the U.S. is estimated to have “4,000 data centers, including operational sites and those under development.” Furthermore, a third of these data centers are reportedly located in Virginia, Texas, and California, with Virginia having the most.

Perhaps the biggest prayer point for these data centers is their energy consumption. According to Pew, U.S. data centers consumer 183 terawatt hours of electricity last year, over 4% of the nation’s total electricity consumption. According to estimates, however, that number could grow to 426 terawatt hours by 2030. Pew notes that AI-focused centers already consume as much electricity as 100,000 households.

“Since data centers are often geographically concentrated,” Pew notes, “they can significantly strain the power grids.” In 2023, data centers reportedly consumed over 25% of the total electricity supply in Virginia, for example.

These data centers also often use water for cooling, straining another one of the nation’s precious resources. In 2023, for example, data centers used about 17 billion gallons of water.

According to Pew, this electricity usage is leading to price hikes across the nation for consumers. As prices rise, both lawmakers and utility companies are facing pressure to protect residents from blackouts and higher bills. As pressure and strain continue, let’s pray into this situation!

How are you praying about America’s data centers? Share your prayers and scriptures below.

(Excerpt from Pew Research Center. Photo Credit: Kevin Ache on Unsplash)