OpenAI launches Grid Protectors so its AI campuses can cut power use when the grid is strained
OpenAI launched the Grid Protectors Program so its future compute campuses can reduce electricity use when the grid is under strain. Georgia comes first, where its agreement with Georgia Power includes up to 1,000 MW of flexible demand response, and OpenAI says it will pay the infrastructure costs of serving the campus. My read: AI's real ceiling is power, not algorithms. Whoever can strike these off-peak deals with utilities gets to build faster, so companies adopting AI should plan for power and server space early.