OpenAI CEO Sparks Debate by Likening AI Training to Decades of Raising Kids

TLDR

• Sam Altman dismissed online claims about heavy AI water use and shifted the focus to growing energy demands.
• Altman compared AI training to raising children and said people should measure energy use per query after training.
• Sridhar Vembu criticized the comparison and said technology should not be equated with human beings.
• New off-grid data centers are expanding across multiple states, and many rely heavily on natural gas power.
• Researchers warned that rising energy use could challenge climate goals as data centers consume power on a national scale.

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The discussion over AI power use expanded this week as new comments from Sam Altman drew fresh attention, and industry projects continued shifting toward private gas-powered data hubs, and regulators reviewed new off-grid systems across multiple states.

AI Training and Human Comparison Raise New Questions

Sam Altman dismissed water-use fears at an event in India, and he argued that modern facilities now use dry cooling systems, and he stressed that energy demand remains the central issue. He said online claims about heavy water use were “completely untrue,” and he pointed to new designs that run without water, and he urged quick movement toward nuclear, wind, and solar sources.

He also compared AI training to raising a child, and he said the process takes years of resource use, and he argued that people should judge energy per query after training. This comparison drew criticism, and Sridhar Vembu rejected linking people with technology, and he said he does not support framing humans in that way.

Researchers reported that data centers already use power on the scale of Germany or France, and they linked that rise to rapid AI expansion, and they cited new global projections. A recent study projected that cooling water demand could triple as computing increases, and it warned of future strain, and the findings circulated widely.

Expanding Off-Grid Projects and OpenAI

The GW Ranch project in Texas will span 8,000 acres, and it will run on gas and solar, and it will exceed Chicago’s power draw. Developers said the model avoids long utility delays, and they confirmed construction timelines, and they said capacity planning has begun.

Multiple states now host similar plans, and projects in Wyoming and New Mexico are already moving, while others in Ohio and Tennessee remain in review. Firms including Meta, OpenAI, Oracle, and Chevron support these efforts, and some states have simplified approval processes, and new filings show accelerated schedules.

Residents in West Virginia raised concerns over a project near Davis, and they said local oversight weakened, and they called the plan a “speculative gold rush.” Officials confirmed a gas plant that could power every home in the state, and they said the design meets current rules, and they expect a formal environmental review.

Gas-Powered Growth and Regulatory Action

Energy researchers warned that heavy dependence on gas could challenge climate plans, and they counted 47 off-grid proposals, and they urged updated standards. They noted that solar additions help, and they said output gaps still push sites toward gas, and they emphasized the need for a consistent supply.

Elon Musk built an off-grid Memphis site last year, and he used portable generators and he connected the system in months. The EPA later ruled the setup violated emissions rules, ordered permit updates, and set compliance deadlines.

Meta advanced two new off-grid projects, and one in Ohio will run two gas plants, and another in Texas will link hundreds of small generators. Local officials protested the Texas design, and they said they expected clean energy, and Meta said renewable credits would cover commitments.

Communities in Arizona and Texas pushed back on proposals, and Tucson residents stopped a large plan, and they cited water and billing concerns. San Marcos rejected a 1.5-billion-dollar center, and officials cited public pressure, and they closed the review process.

Electricity prices climbed on the PJM grid, and the rise covered 65 million customers. Regulators reviewed new generation requests. Federal and state leaders signed an agreement in January, and they required tech firms to fund new plants, and companies pledged 15 billion dollars for added capacity.

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