Uwem Ukpong (AWS) on the Power Convergence: AI Demand and Grid Capacity

Cloud and AI providers are no longer passive consumers of energy—they are shaping how and where new capacity gets built. In this episode, Atul Arya speaks with Uwem Ukpong, Vice President for Industries at Amazon Web Services (AWS), on how this shift is changing the energy landscape. The conversation explores how Amazon is scaling its global data center footprint while driving efficiency, investing in carbon-free energy, and working directly with utilities to support grid reliability. A recurring theme in the discussion is that decisions around compute and power are becoming increasingly interconnected, raising the importance of collaboration between data center operators and the energy industry. The discussion covers: AI-driven demand and its implications for power planning How cloud service providers engage with utilities and grid operators How energy, technology and public policies are coordinated - and where tensions emerge Energy efficiency gains, performance per watt improvements and impacts on the grid Energy security, sovereignty and system resilience This conversation builds up to CERAWeek 2026, highlighting the convergence of energy, technology, and policy—and why cross-sector dialogue is becoming essential as digital and physical infrastructure scale together. Join us March 23-27 in Houston, Texas. Learn more at ceraweek.com.