The xAI supercomputer needs power. Some worry what that could mean
Emissions coming from the gas turbines powering xAI's supercomputer Aug. 9, 2024. (Benjamin Naylor/The Daily Memphian file)
Environmental groups are worried about xAI’s expansion in Southwest Memphis, questioning what it will mean for air quality and the region’s power grid.
They are concerned about the expansion’s effect on Southwest Memphis neighborhoods, which already deal with emissions from nearby heavy industry.
Last week, xAI, the startup founded by Elon Musk, announced plans to expand its supercomputer to 1 million chips from its current 200,000, raising the question of how much power the fully expanded supercomputer will use. The chips run the complex computations that inform a large language model — the artificial intelligence that powers the chatbots on which people are already beginning to rely.
Elon Musk’s xAI poised to invest billions of dollars in Memphis supercomputer
Brent Mayo, the company’s head Memphis executive, and Greater Memphis Chamber CEO Ted Townsend said the company plans to be 100% off the Tennessee Valley Authority’s grid when demand is high. Mayo also said the startup is interested in partnering with other companies to generate power.
Environmental groups are concerned about the need for new power generation. Specifically, what will that new power generation be? And where?
Topics
xAI Elon Musk Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
Subscribers to The Daily Memphian help fund our not-for-profit newsroom of nearly 40 local journalists plus more than 20 freelancers, all of whom work around the clock to cover the issues impacting our community. Subscriptions - and donations - also help fund our community access programs which provide free access to K-12 schools, community organizations, and more. Thank you for making our work possible.
Samuel Hardiman
Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise and investigative reporter who focuses on local government and politics. A native Rhode Islander who lives Downtown, he enjoys tennis, golf and reading.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.