One AI Answer, One Microwave-Second: Microsoft Recalculates the Energy Question
Microsoft now pegs a typical AI query at about 0.31 watt-hours, the energy of a microwave running for a second or two, and a fraction of widely quoted estimates. It is a reassuring number that quietly answers the wrong question: the strain on the grid was never one query, but billions of them, plus training.
Read full story →Nvidia Plants a Flag in Texas, and Bets on Light to Cut the Power Bill
Nvidia and partner Coherent will upgrade a Texas chip plant around silicon photonics, promising a 50% cut in power use and 1,000 jobs. With AI-linked sectors driving 37% of recent US growth, where chips get made is now a question of national strategy, and the announcement came wrapped in politics to match.
Read full story →AI-First Becomes the Corporate Default. The Rewards Are Real, and Lopsided.
Gartner expects one in ten firms to be AI-first by 2030; PwC finds the leaders already posting 163% productivity growth, with wages and headcount rising too. The catch sits in the fine print: entry-level work is flatlining while junior roles demand senior skills, and the ladder's bottom rungs are disappearing.
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