Against the backdrop of the government’s growth strategy and increasing demand for AI computing power, this Policy Liaison Group discussion considered the implications for energy security, grid capacity and long-term competitiveness. Participants also explored the governance challenges associated with AI deployment, including transparency, accountability and the environmental footprint of emerging technologies.
Key contributors:
The roundtable examined the opportunities and risks presented by the rapid growth of AI within the context of the UK’s net-zero transition. Participants highlighted that AI has the potential to deliver significant environmental benefits through applications such as renewable forecasting, demand management and grid optimisation, but warned that these gains could be offset by the increasing energy demands of large-scale AI infrastructure. Discussion focused on the need for a more integrated national strategy that aligns digital infrastructure, energy policy and economic growth objectives, ensuring that investment in AI is supported by adequate grid capacity and low-carbon power generation. The conversation also explored the trade-offs associated with data centre design, the growing importance of transparency around AI-related resource consumption, and the governance challenges posed by increasingly complex and opaque models. Discussion highlighted that AI is as much an infrastructure and governance issue as it is a technological one, requiring closer alignment between energy policy, regulation and public engagement.
