As Meta Platforms Inc. and OpenAI prepare to launch gigawatt-scale AI data centers by 2026, the surging electricity demand raises concerns over existing energy infrastructure capacity. Industry analysis suggests future data centers will increasingly adopt decentralized, low-carbon energy systems to achieve 100% carbon-free energy.

As artificial intelligence infrastructure expands worldwide, China has effectively addressed power supply challenges for its data centers, while the US continues to face grid limitations, equipment shortages, and rising electricity costs. Industry experts note China’s robust energy reserves and infrastructure allow uninterrupted expansion, in contrast to the US, where electricity capacity struggles to keep pace with the surging demand from AI development.

South Korean academics are calling for further reforms of the country’s New Southern Policy, stressing the need to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN, already home to many South Korean enterprises, as US-China rivalry intensifies. This approach, they argue, not only helps reduce economic dependence on China and the US but also positions ASEAN as a natural strategic partner due to its geographic proximity, abundant resources, cultural affinity, and the soft power of the Korean Wave.