AI giant warns of US “Electron Gap” with China

OpenAI is warning the Trump administration that China’s massive energy expansion threatens US leadership in AI, calling for 100GW of new annual power capacity.

AI computing demands massive energy resources. China added 429GW of new power capacity in 2024, more than half of global growth, while the US added just 51GW – an eighth of China’s expansion.

OpenAI is urging the administration to commit to at least 100GW annually, warning that an “electron gap” threatens US leadership, GCR reports.

“Electrons are the new oil,” OpenAI said, calling for a national project to build 100GW of new energy capacity yearly.

In a letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer Christopher Lehane warned that China aims to overtake the US on AI by 2030, viewing power capacity as “the foundation of industrial competitiveness.”

US grid development faces fragmented decision-making and regulatory complexity. One transmission line took 13 years from approval to completion.

Lehane also cited workforce shortages, noting OpenAI’s six “Stargate” data campuses will require 20% of the country’s skilled tradespeople over five years. The company expects 10GW of computing power under development by end-2025, worth $500bn.