AI, Data Centers, and Energy

Six networking and educational meetings including dinners

We are pleased to join MIT Club of Washington for its 44th annual Seminar Series on an important national topic related to science, technology, and public policy. Each year, the series offers engineers, scientists, industry leaders, policymakers, and educators an opportunity to explore a specific topic in depth. This is an opportunity for the Columbia community to develop a better understanding of recent developments and key issues.

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a software story—it is a physical infrastructure story. The rapid expansion of AI workloads is driving unprecedented demand for data centers, electricity, land, water, and transmission capacity, with Northern Virginia and the DMV at the global epicenter. This series will explore some of the critical technological, economic, and policy implications of this transformation by bringing together thought leaders and technology experts from industry, government, utilities, and think tanks to examine the questions related to powering the age of AI.

As seen in the headlines, AI expansion is bringing an unprecedented level of capital investment.  Some estimates are that the biggest hyperscalers will spend almost $700 Billion on capital expenditures this year alone and a lot of the capital is focused on the physical infrastructure of data centers. The data centers of tomorrow are not the same as the data centers of yesteryear. In communities all of this nation and right here in the DMV, deliberations are being held on new permits, regulatory frameworks, and even moratoriums. In this seminar, we hope to dive deep into engineering, business, and policy issues so that we can all be better informed as we decide our own personal position on the many policy debates that are happening all around us today.

Presentations by distinguished speakers are followed by ample time for questions and discussion. The social hour and dinner provide additional opportunities to meet the speakers, renew acquaintances, or join in stimulating discussions with other participants.