A new data center model backed by Nvidia could change how AI’s appetite impacts the grid. (Axios)
Nvidia and startup Emerald AI are launching software that shifts data center workloads in real time—dialing back power use when the grid is strained and ramping up when demand eases.
Why it matters: It’s the first commercial rollout of software-based grid flexibility for data centers. The approach could make AI operations more compatible with renewables and ease stress on regional grids.
Nvidia calls it a step toward balancing AI’s massive energy demand with the realities of today’s power infrastructure. Emerald AI’s CEO says it could unlock “fast capacity” for data centers without driving up local electricity prices (and might even bring them down).