Anthropic says its AI growth shouldn't show up on your power bill. The company behind the Claude chatbot on Wednesday pledged to absorb any local electricity price hikes tied to its expanding US data center network, saying it will team up with utilities to "estimate and cover" consumer rate increases where it can't add enough new power itself, per NBC News. Anthropic also vowed to pay the full cost of grid upgrades needed to connect its facilities, as well as to inject cash into power generation capacity and systems that dial back data center usage during peak demand.
"The costs of powering our models should fall on Anthropic, not everyday Americans," CEO Dario Amodei says. The move comes as AI data centers drive a sharp jump in electricity demand and mounting political scrutiny. A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report estimates data centers could consume up to 12% of US electricity by 2028, up from 4.4% in 2023, with researchers warning of possible significant price increases in some regions—perhaps up to 25% by 2030.
Anthropic's promise mirrors commitments by rivals such as OpenAI and Microsoft and lands as lawmakers float bills to force AI firms to shoulder more of the grid costs tied to their expansion. The Hill notes that the company's move comes as local communities are raising red flags about construction of data centers nationwide, citing concerns over the environment, as well as energy and water usage.
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