OpenAI kicked off the AI race in 2022 with the launch of its ChatGPT bot, which offered lifelike responses to questions and showcased the rapid advances in the technology. It has prompted a gush of investment, including in the specialised data centres needed to power the computing. But the projected surge in demand for the centres, which will require huge amounts of power to run and money to be built, has raised concerns about the impact on energy supplies and questions about the role of foreign investors. In one of his final acts in the White House, former President Joe Biden put forward rules that would restrict exports of AI-related chips to dozens of countries around the world, saying the move would help the US control the industry. He also issued orders related to the development of data centres on government land, which spotlighted a role for clean energy in powering the centres.