In a recent interview conducted for TIME’s Person of the Year feature, Chris Wright, appointed Energy Secretary during the Trump administration, outlined his vision for advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and the associated energy infrastructure within the United States. Drawing on his background in the private sector, Wright shared insights into the administration’s prioritization of AI, linking it closely to scientific progress and energy policy.
Wright conveyed that the development of AI ranks as the foremost scientific objective of the Trump administration. This commitment extends beyond his department, enveloping multiple government agencies focused on accelerating AI’s role in scientific discovery. One notable application he highlighted involves oncology: AI’s capability to analyze molecular structures of cancerous tumors is enabling the design of molecules aimed at halting tumor replication and growth. Wright expressed optimism that this could transform certain currently lethal cancers into manageable diseases within a few years.
Despite AI's promise, Wright tempered expectations by downplaying potential climate-related impacts. The secretary suggested that AI's energy consumption contributes modestly to national electricity demand increases and that mitigating climate change is not as urgent a concern compared to other global challenges such as hunger, health, education, and commerce.
Addressing the increased energy demands driven by AI infrastructure, Wright emphasized the importance of maintaining and, in some cases, reactivating existing coal-fired power plants. He noted that many coal facilities are scheduled to close prematurely, often due to political decisions made long before their economic utility had been exhausted. He framed these closures as detrimental to quickly expanding net electricity generation, a necessity in supporting burgeoning AI data centers.
In terms of the U.S. power mix, Wright identified natural gas as the current dominant electricity source and the primary contributor to new capacity additions. Concurrently, he advocated for hastening development of conventional nuclear power plants, anticipating multiple constructions commencing within 12 to 24 months, although operational energy delivery from such plants remains a longer-term prospect.
On renewable energy, Wright acknowledged ongoing advancements in solar technology but suggested that after decades of subsidies, wind and solar should sustain themselves without further government incentives. He downplayed the likelihood of renewables becoming a major source of energy for future AI data centers due to their intermittent contribution at peak demand periods—an issue he linked to the absence of large-scale, effective energy storage systems.
Responding to critiques that the administration’s reduction in renewable subsidy funding hindered green projects, Wright confirmed that existing projects retain their benefits if construction begins before mid-2024 but emphasized the critical need for energy availability at peak times rather than simply increasing total electrons generated.
Regarding the proliferation of data centers, Wright expressed strong support, framing their energy use as a meaningful application for electricity—second only to heating, which is essential for human survival. He acknowledged community concerns regarding data center construction and resultant electricity price increases, underscoring the need for developers to contribute to new power capacity without causing rate hikes.
On corporate climate commitments, Wright expressed skepticism about the urgency of climate change relative to other global issues and did not express concern over companies retracting net-zero pledges.
The interview coincided with a report from the U.K.’s AI Security Institute indicating rapid AI capability improvements, including biological and cyber domains, and increasing complexity in AI behavior. The report noted that AI performance in various challenging tasks had improved significantly over recent years, while also noting that AI models had not yet spontaneously demonstrated dangerously uncontrollable behavior, though vigilance remains necessary.
Complementing this, AI usage for companionship and social interaction has also been reported as rising.
Finally, the article noted Google’s recent rollout of the Gemini 3 Flash AI model, integrated within Google Search and Chrome, signaling competitive advancement in AI’s cost-effectiveness and performance.