The Challenges of Policy in an Era of Fulcrum Technologies

Last month, Alliant Energy announced it will delay converting its Wisconsin coal plant by three years. This delay underscores an important tension: While the United States has strong economic and strategic motivations to stay at the forefront of AI, the mounting electricity demands needed to power this emerging industry are increasingly clashing with the country’s decarbonization targets. The slowing phaseout of coal is only the latest example of national security and economic imperatives running up against sustainability concerns. Why? Today, the United States faces the unprecedented challenge of simultaneously navigating three escalating factors: a denser international economic landscape, a more The post The Challenges of Policy in an Era of Fulcrum Technologies appeared first on War on the Rocks.

The Challenges of Policy in an Era of Fulcrum Technologies

Last month, Alliant Energy announced it will delay converting its Wisconsin coal plant by three years. This delay underscores an important tension: While the United States has strong economic and strategic motivations to stay at the forefront of AI, the mounting electricity demands needed to power this emerging industry are increasingly clashing with the country’s decarbonization targets. The slowing phaseout of coal is only the latest example of national security and economic imperatives running up against sustainability concerns. Why? Today, the United States faces the unprecedented challenge of simultaneously navigating three escalating factors: a denser international economic landscape, a more

The post The Challenges of Policy in an Era of Fulcrum Technologies appeared first on War on the Rocks.