Meta’s Ex-CTO Predicts AI Will Spark the Next Big Wave in Energy Innovation

On June 25, 2025, a compelling conversation aired on Bloomberg’s Zero podcast featuring Mike Schroepfer, former Chief Technology Officer at Meta and now founder of venture capital firm Gigascale Capital. Reported by Bloomberg, Schroepfer’s remarks weren’t just observations, but a bold prediction: Artificial Intelligence will demand so much energy that it will force a breakthrough in how we generate and deliver power.

It’s not just about more servers and data centers. It’s much bigger than that: AI energy innovation appears to be on a trajectory to be the next substantial paradigm shift to global infrastructure. And Schroepfer isn’t alone in thinking this. As AI models become larger and are able to do more, it has become impossible to ignore the energy they require, maybe that will finally motivate the world to rethink energy systems.

Why AI’s Growth is Tied to Energy Innovation

AI is no longer just about chatbots and content generation. From self-driving cars to predictive medicine, the computational load is growing exponentially. And that means more electricity, more servers, and more power-intensive infrastructure.

According to Schroepfer, the race to scale AI will soon hit a wall, not because of compute limits, but due to energy bottlenecks. The faster we innovate in the AI space, the more pressure we place on outdated grids and traditional sources of electricity. This is where AI energy innovation becomes not just a side effect, but a central requirement for the industry to thrive.

How AI Could Spark Breakthroughs in Clean Power Solutions

What happens when some of the brightest minds and deepest pockets start investing in solving this problem? You get clean power solutions with commercial viability. Schroepfer believes that the demand generated by AI will drive serious investment into energy technology, from advanced battery systems to new forms of low-cost renewable energy.

In fact, he compares the current moment to the dot-com boom, when a technology surge triggered secondary revolutions in hardware, internet speeds, and digital services. Today, AI could force a similar secondary surge in how we produce and distribute energy, especially as regulatory pressure around carbon emissions also intensifies.

VCs Are Now Betting on Energy Tech, And Fast

Schroepfer’s venture firm, Gigascale Capital, is already backing startups that are building for this exact future. The next great innovation might not be the next ChatGPT, but the breakthrough that allows data centers to run on sustainable, efficient power without collapse.

This shift in funding attention from pure software to energy technology is already visible. Startups focused on heat reuse, hydrogen storage, and modular nuclear reactors are gaining traction, not just for their eco-friendliness, but because they solve a critical bottleneck in AI infrastructure.

AI Is Reshaping the Global Energy Map

On a global level, it implies that energy-rich countries are likely to become the new global tech centers. Areas with sun, wind, or geothermal energy will be significantly more appealing for the establishment of large AI training facilities. And for countries, especially Iceland, Norway, or other areas of the U.S. that are clean energy leaders, they could see new demand for power exports or infrastructure investments specific to AI. As the world expands into AI, it’s not just Silicon Valley that’s paying attention, energy policymakers, energy-focused environmentalists, and energy investors are all going to watch the ripples growing in the pond.

Why This Shift Is a Defining Moment

For Schroepfer, this intersection of AI and energy is more than a business opportunity, it’s a necessity. “We are going to run out of power before we run out of ideas,” he said during the interview, hinting that solving the energy piece is the only way to unlock AI’s full potential.

If he’s right, AI energy innovation could define the next two decades of progress, combining clean power solutions with the brainpower of next-gen AI systems. It’s a moment that calls for new thinking, bold investment, and tech that respects the planet while accelerating intelligence.