Energy abundance powers America's AI race

In a dynamic conversation at a recent tech conference, US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum shared his vision for America's energy future with striking urgency. Speaking with the directness of an entrepreneur rather than a politician, Burgum outlined how energy abundance sits at the intersection of US economic prosperity, national security, and technological leadership—particularly in the high-stakes global AI race.

Key Points:

• America faces an energy emergency specifically related to AI development, with Burgum declaring: "We don't have enough electricity and we're going to lose the AI arms race with China."
• The administration views accessible, reliable energy sources as critical national priorities, establishing a National Energy Dominance Council chaired by Burgum to coordinate across government.
• Technological innovation is transforming traditional energy sectors, with Burgum highlighting how modern oil extraction involves precision engineering that can "drill the lock out on your front door" from two miles underground.
• The administration is actively cutting permitting red tape to accelerate critical infrastructure development, positioning natural gas as the "bridge to nuclear" while embracing an "all of the above" approach to energy sources.
• Domestic mining of critical minerals has become a national security priority, with China currently controlling 85% of rare earth mineral refining—essential components for technology and defense.

The AI-Energy Nexus: An Overlooked Strategic Challenge

The most compelling insight from Burgum's remarks is his framing of energy abundance as fundamentally an AI competition issue. While much attention has focused on chips, talent and algorithms, the Secretary makes a convincing case that electricity production is actually the critical bottleneck that could determine technological supremacy.

This perspective reframes the entire national conversation around energy policy. According to Burgum, "In AI, we're manufacturing intelligence and whoever manufactures the most intelligence is going to win." This manufacturing process requires enormous electricity resources that the current US grid cannot supply. The administration sees this as an existential threat that demands immediate action—one that transcends traditional political divisions about climate policy.

What makes this insight particularly significant is its economic implications. Burgum notes that tech companies are now willing to pay premium prices for electricity because "a kilowatt is worth more today than it ever has been" when used for AI development. This has created an unprecedented situation where tech