Can America Power the AI Boom? Mark Mills on Data Centers, Energy & the Future of U.S. Infrastructure

AI is fueling a massive data center boom, but does America actually have the power to keep up?In this episode of Common Denominator, I sit down with Mark Mills to dig into one of the most pressing questions in the country right now: can our energy infrastructure truly support the rise of AI?Mark Mills is a physicist, energy expert, and author who focuses on how technologies like AI and data centers are grounded in real-world energy and infrastructure systems.As demand for data centers accelerates, I wanted to go beyond the headlines and understand what’s really happening—at the intersection of technology, energy, infrastructure, and national security. Mark brings a clear, data-driven perspective as we break down the realities of the U.S. power grid, rising electricity demand, private power solutions, natural gas, nuclear energy, and what it will actually take to power the future of AI in America.In our conversation, we discuss: • Why AI is creating an unprecedented surge in data center demand • Whether the U.S. power grid can realistically keep up • Why location and proximity matter so much for data centers • The growing importance of private and off-grid power solutions • Why natural gas may be the most practical near-term answer • Whether nuclear can play a meaningful role over the next decade • The economic and political pushback surrounding data center development • Why this moment could be a major inflection point for AI infrastructureIf you’re interested in AI, energy, infrastructure, investing, or the future of America’s competitive edge, this is a conversation worth watching.Like this episode? Leave a review here:https://ratethispodcast.com/commondenominatorCommon Denominator PodcastWebsite: https://moshepopack.com/podcast/YouTube: @mpopackInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpopackFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoshePopackNewsletter: https://moshepopack.com/newsletter/