OpenAI says U.S. needs more power to stay ahead of China in AI
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI Inc., during a media tour at the Stargate AI data center in Abilene, Texas, United States, on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
Kyle Grillot | Bloomberg | Getty Images
On Monday, OpenAI said the United States must significantly increase its investment in new energy capacity if it wants to stay ahead of China in the race to develop artificial intelligence.
The startup has been signing deals in recent months for ambitious infrastructure builds that will require large amounts of power. Expanding data centers will push the boundaries of what’s possible in the U.S. at a time when the power grid is already under strain.
“Electricity is not just a service,” OpenAI said in a blog post on Tuesday. “It is a strategic asset that is critical to building the AI infrastructure that will ensure our leadership in the most important technology since electricity itself.”
OpenAI shared a post 11 page submission With the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, he encouraged the United States to commit to creating 100 gigawatts of new energy capacity each year.
A gigawatt is a measure of power, and 10 gigawatts is roughly equivalent to the annual power consumption of 8 million U.S. households, according to a CNBC analysis of data from the Energy Information Administration.
OpenAI said China added 429 gigawatts of new power capacity last year, while the United States added 51 gigawatts. This disparity creates an “electron gap” that puts the U.S. at risk of being left behind, the company said.
“Electrons are the new oil,” OpenAI said.
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