Design differences: inference vs. training

AI is reshaping electricity demand. What does increased demand, and the shape of that demand, mean for the electric grid? Ben Sooter, Director of R&D at EPRI joins the podcast to explain why most of an AI model’s lifetime energy use comes from inference rather than training, and how micro data centers located near underutilized substations can help deliver low‑latency AI services while strengthening grid resilience.