US tariffs threaten AI electricity supply

Investors are plowing money into artificial intelligence, but US tariffs on renewable energy equipment could make it harder to meet the new technology’s electricity demand. 

Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is seeking $20 billion for a fund that would back AI startups, according to Reuters, a “colossal step up in scale” for the firm.

AI comes with huge power demands — the International Energy Agency said today that data centers’ energy demand will double by 2030 — and those demands may be tricky to meet: High tariffs on China in particular, which provides much of the US’ solar panel supply, will raise energy costs, Semafor’s Tim McDonnell reported.