CERAWeek Podcast with Atul Arya - JANUARY 14, 2026
Can AI Solve Its Own Energy Challenge? A Conversation with Varun Sivaram, Emerald AI
In this episode of the CERAWeek Podcast with Atul Arya, Atul sits down with Varun Sivaram, Founder and CEO of Emerald AI, to examine how the rapid expansion of AI data centers is transforming electricity demand, infrastructure planning and global competition. AI’s future hinges on chips innovation, but also on the availability and supply of power. Flexibility, not just efficiency, will determine whether AI can scale without straining power grids or driving up energy costs.
The discussion explores:
- Surging electricity demand from AI data centers and what it means for the U.S. power system
- The growing competition between the U.S. and China, driven by access to power and technology
- How flexibility can ease grid constraints and accelerate data center deployment
- How collaborative models between utilities, hyperscalers, regulators and technology providers is becoming essential
As energy, technology, and geopolitics increasingly converge, these questions will be central to the dialogue at CERAWeek 2026, where leaders will come together to address the future of AI, energy security, and infrastructure. Join us March 23-27, 2026 in Houston, TX.