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Antitrust regulators are preparing to scrutinize the massive energy consumption of data centers operated by major technology companies. According to reports, tech giants now invest more in data center infrastructure than the entire U.S. oil and gas industry. The International Energy Agency estimates these facilities consume energy equivalent to hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles annually.

The Growing Regulatory Focus on Tech Energy Consumption

The enormous energy demands of data centers operated by major technology companies will become a central focus for antitrust regulators in coming years, according to a former top official from the U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust division. Sources indicate that regulators are increasingly concerned about the competitive implications of the massive infrastructure investments required to power artificial intelligence and cloud computing services.