Microsoft Addresses AI Energy Costs While Meta Secures Nuclear Power

President Donald Trump recently announced that Microsoft will implement significant changes this week to prevent AI data centers from increasing consumer electricity bills. Trump emphasized that AI tech companies must bear their own electricity costs, stating that the massive power demands of these data centers should not burden average Americans. Microsoft's President, Brad Smith, previously indicated the company is actively working on managing this issue, with reports suggesting collaboration with the Midcontinent Independent System to improve the power grid and stabilize energy costs. In a related move to address AI's substantial energy needs, Meta is securing long-term nuclear energy deals. The company signed agreements with Oklo, TerraPower, and Vistra, aiming to acquire up to 6.6 gigawatts of clean energy by 2035. Meta plans to fund TerraPower's new Natrium plants and support Oklo's expansion in Ohio, alongside providing financial assistance to keep Vistra's existing nuclear plants operational in Ohio and Pennsylvania. This highlights a growing industry focus on sustainable power solutions for expanding AI operations, with copper also identified as a crucial material for powering AI and data centers. Beyond infrastructure, AI is rapidly integrating into various sectors. TradeStation Securities launched its Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing users to link trading accounts with external AI platforms. The initial integration is with Claude, an AI assistant from Anthropic, PBC, with plans for broader support. This enables conversational trading, account analysis, and automated actions. In education, AI tool usage by teachers nearly doubled from 34% in 2023 to 61% in 2025, driven by increased training and AI integration into common school tools, though 21% of teachers still do not plan to use AI. However, AI's expansion also brings challenges. In cybersecurity, attackers in 2025 leveraged AI to scale existing threats like phishing and supply chain compromises, rather than creating entirely new ones, lowering the barrier for large-scale attacks. Meanwhile, the perception of AI software costs is evolving; a $50,000 annual AI agent replacing multiple sales reps might seem inexpensive, while a $25-30 monthly add-on could feel costly compared to comprehensive AI development environments. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang urged an end to "AI doomer talk," arguing that negative narratives about AI's societal impact are unhelpful and could lead to detrimental policies, especially as Nvidia's chips remain vital for AI training, pushing the company's value near $5 trillion. Google is currently defending itself against a lawsuit from Penske Media Corporation, publisher of Rolling Stone, which claims Google's AI-generated search summaries, known as AI overviews, harm traffic to media websites. Google maintains that these overviews are an integral part of its search engine and that users can still directly visit publisher pages. Separately, AI is also transforming TV advertising, with discussions at CES highlighting how the technology is reshaping ad creation, targeting, and delivery to provide more personalized and efficient experiences for both advertisers and audiences.

Key Takeaways

  • Microsoft will implement changes to prevent AI data centers from raising consumer electricity bills, as announced by President Trump.
  • Meta is investing in nuclear energy, securing up to 6.6 gigawatts by 2035 through deals with Oklo, TerraPower, and Vistra, to power its expanding AI operations.
  • TradeStation Securities launched its Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing users to link trading accounts with AI platforms like Anthropic's Claude for conversational and automated trading.
  • Teacher adoption of AI tools in classrooms nearly doubled from 34% in 2023 to 61% in 2025, driven by training and integration into school tools.
  • In 2025, attackers used AI to scale existing cyber threats like phishing and supply chain compromises, lowering the barrier for large-scale attacks.
  • The perception of AI software costs is shifting, with users evaluating value differently for large-scale AI agents versus smaller monthly add-ons.
  • Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang advocates against "AI doomer talk," stating it is unhelpful and could lead to harmful policies, as Nvidia's market value approaches $5 trillion.
  • Google is facing a lawsuit from Penske Media regarding its AI-generated search summaries (AI overviews) allegedly hurting media website traffic, with Google defending its search engine functionality.
  • Copper is identified as a crucial material for powering AI technology and data centers, essential for next-generation electronics.
  • AI is transforming TV advertising by reshaping how ads are created, targeted, and delivered, aiming for more personalized and efficient experiences.

Trump says Microsoft will lower AI power costs for consumers

President Trump announced that Microsoft will make big changes this week. These changes aim to stop consumers from paying higher electricity bills because of AI data centers. Many tech companies are building data centers, which has caused utility prices to go up in some states. Microsoft's president, Brad Smith, previously stated the company is working to manage this issue. Trump congratulated Microsoft and hopes other companies will follow.

Trump demands AI companies pay for their own power

President Donald Trump stated that AI tech companies must pay for their own electricity use. He believes the massive power needs of data centers should not raise electricity bills for average Americans. Trump announced that big changes are coming to ensure consumers do not pay for these costs. The White House wants AI companies to cover their own electricity expenses. The large growth of AI is putting a strain on the current electricity system.

Trump and Microsoft tackle AI power bill hikes

President Donald Trump announced that he and Microsoft have a plan to stop AI from raising utility bills. He stated that Microsoft will make major changes this week to ensure Americans do not pay more for electricity due to data centers. Trump believes big tech companies must pay their own way for the power they use. Microsoft is reportedly working with the Midcontinent Independent System on a project to improve the power grid. This effort aims to keep energy costs down for consumers.

TradeStation connects trading accounts to AI platforms

TradeStation Securities launched its new Model Context Protocol or MCP connection. This tool lets users link their trading accounts with outside AI platforms. The first version works with Claude, an AI assistant from Anthropic, PBC, and will soon support other popular AI tools. This allows for a conversational trading experience and can help with analyzing accounts or automating trades. John Bartleman, CEO of TradeStation Group, said this helps customers customize their trading strategies.

TradeStation launches AI link for trading accounts

TradeStation Securities introduced its Model Context Protocol or MCP connection. This new feature allows users to link their trading accounts with various AI platforms. Initially, it works with Claude, an AI assistant by Anthropic, PBC, with plans to add more AI platforms soon. This connection offers a new way to interact with trading tools, enabling conversational trading and automated actions. John Bartleman, President and CEO of TradeStation Group, stated this empowers traders to customize their experience.

Meta invests in nuclear power for AI growth

Meta is making a big move by securing long-term nuclear energy deals to power its data centers and boost AI growth. The company signed agreements with Oklo, TerraPower, and Vistra to get up to 6.6 gigawatts of clean energy by 2035. This strategy helps Meta overcome power limits for its expanding AI operations. Meta will fund TerraPower's new Natrium plants and support Oklo's expansion in Ohio. It will also provide financial help to keep Vistra's existing nuclear plants running in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Teachers embrace AI tools in classrooms

More teachers are now using AI tools in their classrooms, with usage almost doubling from 2023 to 2025. Data from the EdWeek Research Center shows 61% of teachers used AI in 2025, up from 34% in 2023. This increase is due to more AI training for teachers and AI being built into common school tools. Experts like Jessica Garner and Waymond Jackson highlight the importance of ongoing training to ensure AI is used effectively. However, 21% of teachers still do not plan to use AI.

Attackers use AI to scale old cyber threats

In 2025, attackers used AI to make existing cyber threats bigger and faster, not to create entirely new ones. They optimized basic attacks like supply chain compromises and phishing. AI lowered the barrier for cybercrime, allowing individuals to execute large-scale attacks like the Shai Hulud NPM campaign. Malware also continued to bypass official app stores, as seen with malicious Chrome extensions stealing ChatGPT conversations. Experts suggest defenders should focus on fixing fundamental security issues like permissions models and strengthening supply chain verification.

AI costs change how we value software

The idea of what is "expensive" in AI is quickly changing for users. An AI agent costing $50,000 a year to replace ten sales representatives can feel cheap. However, a $25 to $30 monthly add-on, like Clerk, can feel expensive when compared to a full AI development environment like Replit, which costs a similar amount. This shift is similar to how SaaS pricing evolved, where small add-ons once felt costly before budgets expanded. Now, as of early 2026, many are wondering when AI spending will hit a limit. AI founders should consider horizontal AI platforms like ChatGPT and Replit as the new standard for pricing.

Nvidia CEO urges end to AI doomer talk

Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, believes people should stop being so negative about artificial intelligence. He called the "doomer narrative" about AI's potential to disrupt civilization unhelpful to society, industry, and governments. Huang stated that these negative messages can lead to policies that might harm the AI industry. While he acknowledged some sensible points from critics, he did not provide examples. Nvidia's chips are crucial for training AI models, and the high demand has made the company worth nearly $5 trillion.

Google defends AI search summaries in lawsuit

Google asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit from Penske Media Corporation, the publisher of Rolling Stone. Penske claims Google's AI-generated search summaries, called AI overviews, hurt traffic to media websites. The publisher says Google forces them to allow these AI overviews to stay in search results. Google argues that its AI overviews are part of its search engine and users can still visit publisher pages directly. Google also stated it does not have to index content on publishers' preferred terms and does not promise referral traffic.

Copper is vital for AI and data centers

Copper is becoming a crucial material for artificial intelligence technology. Sean O'Hara, President of Pacer ETFs, explained that copper and other important metals are essential for powering AI and data centers. These materials also fuel the development of next-generation electronics. Copper plays a hidden but vital role in the infrastructure that supports the growing AI industry.

AI transforms TV advertising at CES

Artificial intelligence is changing the world of TV advertising. Discussions at CES highlighted how AI is reshaping how ads are created, targeted, and delivered on television. This new technology helps advertisers reach viewers more effectively. The changes promise a more personalized and efficient advertising experience for both companies and audiences.

Sources

NOTE:

This news brief was generated using AI technology (including, but not limited to, Google Gemini API, Llama, Grok, and Mistral) from aggregated news articles, with minimal to no human editing/review. It is provided for informational purposes only and may contain inaccuracies or biases. This is not financial, investment, or professional advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please verify all information with the linked original articles in the Sources section below.

AI Technology Data Centers Energy Consumption Electricity Costs Government Policy Microsoft TradeStation Financial Trading AI Platforms Anthropic Meta Nuclear Power Clean Energy Education Technology AI in Education Cybersecurity AI in Cybercrime Software Pricing AI Economics Nvidia AI Ethics Google AI Search Media Industry Copper Infrastructure Advertising Technology CES Power Grid Automated Trading AI Development Consumer Impact Corporate Responsibility Investment Sustainability Legal Issues Digital Transformation

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