Nvidia Blackwell Dominates AI Chips While Gemini Expands Navigation

The burgeoning artificial intelligence sector is driving significant shifts across various industries and infrastructure, from soaring electricity demands to advanced military applications and new challenges in digital trust. Since February 2020, electricity prices have jumped by 40%, a surge partly attributed to the power-hungry new AI data centers. Experts like Severin Borenstein highlight the need for over a trillion dollars in grid upgrades to support AI's escalating power consumption, raising questions about who will ultimately bear these costs, as seen in the struggles of residents like Kathy Letourneau with rising monthly bills. In the competitive AI chip market, Nvidia maintains a dominant position, with its stock soaring and CEO Jensen Huang championing the company's Blackwell range of AI accelerators, including the powerful GB200 superchip. Nvidia controls approximately 90% of the data center GPU market, while competitors such as AMD and Intel are actively developing their own advanced AI capabilities. Meanwhile, China, facing U.S. export controls on Nvidia's most advanced chips, is leveraging large clusters of Huawei's Ascend 910C chips and abundant cheap energy to advance its AI ambitions. Huawei's CloudMatrix 384 system, for instance, uses 384 Ascend 910C chips to rival Nvidia's GB200 NVL72, compensating for higher power usage with massive investments in green and nuclear energy, government subsidies, and low computing rents. Beyond hardware, AI's influence is expanding rapidly. The U.S. Army is integrating AI-aided target recognition into its Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) prototype, where the 4th Infantry Division trains AI models to identify targets for fire missions, though human operators retain final decision-making. In the commercial realm, AI is transforming advertising, with Coca-Cola launching its second AI-powered holiday campaign, creating fully animated global films. Navigation is also evolving, as Gemini now allows drivers to interact with maps for local information and alternative routes. Even workplace training is getting an AI makeover, with agencies like GSD&M using gamification and leaderboards to boost employee AI skills, leading to unexpected innovations like a data extraction tool from their finance department. However, AI's rapid development also presents challenges. Artificial intelligence makes it increasingly difficult for consumers to distinguish real social media ads from fake ones, as AI can generate highly realistic photos and videos of non-existent products, leading to concerns about scams and potentially toxic fake goods. The pervasive nature of AI in daily life was underscored by New York Times reporter AJ Jacobs' 48-hour challenge to avoid all AI, highlighting its deep integration into modern existence.

Key Takeaways

• Electricity prices have increased by 40% since February 2020, partly due to the growing demand from new AI data centers.
• Nvidia dominates the AI chip market with its Blackwell range of accelerators, including the GB200 superchip, controlling about 90% of the data center GPU market.
• Competitors like AMD and Intel are actively developing their own AI chip technologies to challenge Nvidia's market leadership.
• China is using Huawei's Ascend 910C chips and cheap energy to advance its AI capabilities, circumventing U.S. export controls on Nvidia's most advanced chips.
• The U.S. Army is testing AI for target recognition in its Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) system, with human oversight for final decisions.
• AI is transforming various industries, from Coca-Cola's animated advertising campaigns to Gemini enabling interactive map conversations for drivers.
• AI makes social media ads harder to trust, as it can create highly realistic images and videos of fake products, posing challenges for consumers and platforms.
• GSD&M, an Omnicom-owned agency, is using gamification and workshops to enhance employee AI skills, fostering innovation across departments.
• Trillion-dollar investments are needed for grid upgrades to support the increasing power demands of AI data centers, raising questions about cost distribution.
• The pervasive role of AI in daily life was highlighted by a New York Times reporter's experiment to go 48 hours without using any AI.

AI Data Centers Drive Up Electric Bills 40 Percent

Electricity prices have jumped 40% since February 2020, partly due to the rise of new AI data centers. Increased demand also comes from electric vehicles and stoves replacing gas appliances. Utilities are working to add new power sources like wind and solar, while natural gas prices also contribute to higher costs. Kathy Letourneau, a 71-year-old in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, struggles with $200-$300 monthly bills on a fixed income. Experts like Severin Borenstein question who will pay for the trillion-dollar grid upgrades needed for AI's power demands.

AI Boom Contributes to Rising Electricity Costs

Electricity prices have increased by 40% since February 2020, largely due to the growing demand from new AI data centers. Other factors include more electric vehicles and appliances, along with higher natural gas prices. Utilities are working to build new power plants and strengthen the grid, which will cost over a trillion dollars. Kathy Letourneau, a Florida resident on a fixed income, experiences monthly bills between $200 and $300. The question remains whether AI data centers will fully cover their power costs or if residential customers will bear more of the burden.

China Leverages Huawei Chips and Cheap Energy for AI

China is competing with the U.S. in AI by using large clusters of Huawei chips and abundant cheap energy. Due to U.S. export controls, China cannot access Nvidia's most advanced chips. Huawei's CloudMatrix 384 system uses 384 Ascend 910C chips to match Nvidia's GB200 NVL72, though it requires more chips and significantly more power. China offsets this with massive investments in green and nuclear energy, along with government subsidies and low rents for computing power. Experts like Wendy Chang and Brady Wang note this strategy allows China to advance its AI despite chip limitations.

Nvidia Dominates AI Chip Market with Blackwell Technology

Nvidia holds a leading position in the AI chip market, with its stock soaring since 2022. The company's top products include the Blackwell range of AI accelerators, which are powerful chips adapted from graphics processing units. These chips, like the GB200 superchip, are crucial for training AI models and performing complex computations at high speeds. CEO Jensen Huang dismisses concerns about an AI bubble and advocates for selling advanced chips in China. Nvidia controls about 90% of the data center GPU market, while competitors like AMD and Intel work to develop similar capabilities.

GSD&M Uses Games to Boost Employee AI Skills

GSD&M, an Omnicom-owned agency, is making AI learning fun by using games to train its employees. Three executives, Maria D’Amato, David Forbert, and David Zwickerhill, led an effort to find thousands of ways AI could improve workflows across all departments. The agency set up workshops and weekly training sessions to teach employees how to use AI tools. They also created a leaderboard, similar to SoulCycle, to show who uses AI the most for tasks like text, graphics, and research. This friendly competition encourages more employees to adopt AI, leading to unexpected innovations like a data extraction tool from the finance department.

AI Makes Social Media Ads Harder to Trust

Artificial intelligence is making it increasingly difficult for shoppers to tell real social media ads from fake ones. Reviewer Maggie McGaugh, known for her viral segment "I Knew These Were Fake, But I Bought Them Anyways," investigates misleading products. She advises checking websites, reviews, and using secure payment methods like PayPal. Experts like Balaji Padmanabhan explain that AI can create highly realistic photos and videos of products that do not exist. Scammers use this technology to create convincing ads, and while platforms try to stop them, they adapt quickly. Many fake products also contain toxic chemicals, making buyer protection crucial.

Army Tests AI to Identify Targets in New Command System

The Army is advancing its Next Generation Command and Control prototype by introducing AI-aided target recognition. During an exercise this week, the 4th Infantry Division trained AI models to identify old vehicles as tanks, which then helps generate fire missions. This capability is part of the ongoing Ivy Sting experiments, designed to test the NGC2 system in increasingly complex environments. While AI identifies targets, humans still make final decisions, especially when the AI's confidence is not high. The Army aims to use this new technology to change its operational approach and improve cybersecurity evaluations, now completing them in days instead of a year.

AI Powers New Coke Ads and Interactive Maps

Artificial intelligence is transforming various industries, from advertising to navigation. Gemini now allows drivers to talk to maps for local information and alternative routes. Secret Level collaborated with Coca-Cola for a second AI-powered holiday campaign, creating a fully animated global film using advanced generative tools. This project achieved cinematic quality and emotional character performances, a feat that previously cost millions. Additionally, filmmakers like Kavan the Kid are producing AI-exclusive shorts, and new AI bands like Budallaz are emerging, showcasing the widespread impact of this technology.

New York Times Reporter Avoids AI for 48 Hours

New York Times reporter AJ Jacobs completed a unique challenge by going 48 hours without using any artificial intelligence. He shared his experiences and what he learned during an interview with NBC News' Gadi Schwartz. This experiment, reported on November 6, 2025, highlighted the pervasive role AI plays in daily life.

Sources

• Is your electric bill going up? AI is partly to blame
• Is your electric bill going up? AI is partly to blame
• China's key weapons in its AI battle with the U.S. — massive Huawei chip clusters and cheap energy
• Why is Nvidia the king of AI chips, and can it last?
• GSD&M gamifies its AI upskilling efforts
• Ever wonder what really comes when you buy from a social media ad? AI is making it harder to tell what’s real
• 'That's a tank': Army introduces AI-aided target recognition to Next Gen C2 prototype
• Stabilty AI Beats The Rap, Maps Talk Back, Power Hungry AI, Coke’s New AI Ads
• New York Times reporter goes 48 hours without using AI