AI is driving a data-center power boom. These are some of the biggest US projects being built.

The Meta El Paso Data Center on Aug. 13, 2026, in El Paso, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Data centers and artificial intelligence have become a part of everyday conversation for Americans. Data center energy consumption has entered those conversations, too. The largest planned AI campuses could require more than 10 gigawatts of electricity. Some Americans have new next-door neighbors: data centers. The US has been building these computing facilities for decades, but development has ramped up dramatically in recent years as AI increasingly drives demand for computing power. Business Insider