Powering Up: Data Centers Get Direct Energy Access

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has given the green light for tech giants to tap directly into power plants to fuel their massive data centers. This move, aimed at boosting the U. S. 's lead in artificial intelligence and manufacturing, comes as the mid-Atlantic region braces for potential electricity shortages. FERC's unanimous decision clears the path for so-called colocation agreements, allowing big energy users to bypass traditional grid systems. This could set a precedent for how FERC handles future requests from the Trump administration to meet surging energy demands. However, concerns linger about the impact on regular ratepayers. Evidence suggests they might bear the brunt of new power plants and transmission lines built to support these energy-hungry data centers. FERC Chair Laura Swett emphasized that this step is crucial for meeting historic demand and realizing the country's potential. Meanwhile, the mid-Atlantic territory, home to 65 million people, faces a looming challenge. The rapid build-out of data centers is outpacing the development of new power sources, raising alarms about future electricity shortages. In the realm of artificial intelligence, OpenAI has declared a "code red, " redirecting resources to improve ChatGPT and delay other projects. This isn't the first time OpenAI has issued such a directive, which aims to focus efforts on a single goal. The latest "code red" came after Google's AI model outperformed OpenAI's best software on several benchmarks. OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, called for staffers to prioritize ChatGPT's improvements, ensuring it works quickly and reliably. Since the declaration, OpenAI has rolled out several updates, including a more advanced AI model for coding, science, and various work tasks. The company also unveiled a new image-generating AI model to enhance visuals.Looking ahead, OpenAI is committed to spending $1. 4 trillion on infrastructure over the next eight years to support increasingly capable AI models. The focus is on figuring out the algorithms, infrastructure, and research needed for this endeavor. Beef prices continue to soar, with no signs of cooling down. The average price for ground beef hit $6. 781 a pound in November, up 2. 1 percent from September and 15 percent from a year earlier. Steak prices also rose, reaching $12. 285 a pound. Despite efforts by the Trump administration to rein in costs, beef prices keep setting records. The historically small U. S. cattle herd and strong demand for ground products contribute to the price hike. The Trump administration has targeted runaway beef prices, calling for a price-fixing investigation into meatpackers and removing tariffs on Brazilian shipments. The USDA has also rolled out a program to support American ranchers, including expanded grazing access. Beef imports are projected to jump 15 percent this year, with the USDA raising its 2026 forecast for foreign shipments after the Trump administration lifted levies. However, the expected influx of supplies will be tempered by a broader decline in Brazilian beef production. In the consumer sector, Instacart will pay $60 million to refund customers deceived into enrolling in its subscription service, Instacart+. The FTC accused the company of misleading consumers by charging a mandatory grocery delivery fee despite advertising "free" first orders. Instacart also failed to clearly disclose the terms of its subscription service and refused to offer refunds, instead providing credits for future orders. The company denies any wrongdoing, standing firmly behind the integrity and transparency of its programs. Instacart has faced scrutiny over its pricing practices, with a report highlighting that the company's AI-enabled experiments charge customers different prices for the same product. The company defended its practices, stating that the report inaccurately blurred together different pricing methods.