This session will explored how artificial intelligence can be applied to accelerate energy technology innovation in ways that meaningfully improve electricity affordability in an era of surging power demand. As AI-driven data centers increasingly accept premium electricity prices to secure reliable power for mission-critical operations, concerns are growing that this dynamic could place upward pressure on prices for other consumers and distort power markets. Using AI-enabled energy innovation as a platform, the discussion examined how advanced modeling, system optimization, and next-generation energy technologies can help expand supply, improve grid efficiency, and reduce long-term system costs—transforming AI from a driver of price stress into a tool for affordability and resilience. The conversation bridged technology development with market design and policy, highlighting how smarter deployment of AI across the energy system can align innovation with public priorities around cost, reliability, and equitable access to electricity.
