OpenAI Warns White House of 'Electron Gap' as China Outpaces US in Power Generation by 8-to-1 Margin
Summary
OpenAI warns the White House that China's massive lead in power generation—adding 429 gigawatts versus America's 51 gigawatts last year—creates an 'electron gap' that threatens U.S. AI dominance, urging 100 gigawatts of annual capacity increases to compete.
Key Points
- OpenAI urges the White House to substantially increase U.S. investment in new energy capacity to maintain AI leadership over China, calling for 100 gigawatts of new capacity annually
- China added 429 gigawatts of new power capacity last year compared to only 51 gigawatts in the U.S., creating what OpenAI calls an 'electron gap' that threatens American competitiveness
- OpenAI describes electricity as a strategic asset critical for AI infrastructure development, stating 'electrons are the new oil' as the company plans massive data center buildouts requiring enormous power consumption