Show Notes
As AI demand surges, so does the world’s need for power. Tim and Sara explore how cloud computing, renewables, and smarter infrastructure are reshaping the energy landscape — and what it takes to keep AI running 24/7. Featuring insights from AWS Executive in Residence Jake Burns.
—
Hosts: Tim Stafford & Sara Tupac Topic: What happens when the world’s fastest-growing technology meets one of its oldest infrastructures — power. Overview: As artificial intelligence drives massive demand for data, compute, and always-on cloud capacity, the energy industry faces a new challenge: keeping up. Highlights: o How AI is reshaping global power needs and data center growth o Why cloud migration and renewable energy are critical to AI’s future o The innovation race to make models and chips more energy-efficient o What utilities and cloud providers must do to meet 24/7 power demand o A glimpse at how AI could “democratize intelligence” — if we can power it responsibly
Featuring insights from AWS Executive in Residence Jake Burns, this conversation connects the dots between cloud, compute, and kilowatts — and explores how energy will fuel the next wave of AI transformation.
More from The Power Up Podcast
Utilities are facing growing pressure to modernize the grid, manage affordability, and meet rising customer expectations, all while building and maintaining trust. Tim and Sara sit down with Vincent Davis, Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at PG&E, to explore what it means to keep customers at the heart of utility decision-making, and how technology, partnerships, and transparency can help utilities prepare for what’s next.
Water utilities are navigating a new era of climate risk, aging infrastructure, cybersecurity threats, and rising affordability pressures. Tim and Sara sit down with Michael Luu, Senior Vice President of Corporate Services and Chief Risk Officer at California Water Service Group, to explore what it takes to keep safe, reliable water flowing—and how technology can help utilities prepare for what’s next.
As AI adoption accelerates across the enterprise, utilities face a new challenge: Understanding where AI is being used, what it costs, and what risks it may introduce. Tim and Sara explore the rise of shadow AI, the importance of governance, and why visibility is the foundation for responsible innovation. Featuring insights from Arti Raman, CEO of Portal26, and Joe Boggio, Head of Partnerships.
As utilities navigate unprecedented change driven by electrification, AI, aging infrastructure, renewable energy, and rising customer expectations, public power utilities face a unique challenge: how do they modernize while keeping energy affordable and staying deeply connected to the communities they serve? In this episode, Tim sits down with Vanessa Barbarisi, incoming CEO & General Manager of the Springfield Utility Board (SUB), to explore the evolving role of municipal utilities in the energy transition. Drawing on leadership experience across investor-owned utilities, public power, and electric cooperatives, Vanessa shares why returning home to lead her hometown utility is both a personal and professional milestone, and why community remains the industry's greatest strength. Hosts Tim and Sara also have some fun exploring Springfield, Oregon's connection to The Simpsons, discuss what makes utility careers so rewarding, and wrap up with leadership lessons, AI, and a little Springfield trivia.
As electricity demand accelerates driven by AI, data centers, electrification, and economic growth, battery storage is moving from a niche technology to critical infrastructure. In this episode, Tim sits down with Jeff Monday, Chief Growth Officer at Fluence Energy, to explore why energy storage is becoming one of the most important tools for building a more reliable, affordable, and flexible grid. Drawing on his unique background leading growth at Apple and Qualcomm before entering the energy industry, Jeff shares an outsider's perspective on one of the fastest-changing sectors in the world. Hosts Tim and Sara also have some fun with battery trivia, explore the surprising history of energy storage, and discuss whether the famous "duck curve" could someday become a "snake curve" as utilities learn to better orchestrate distributed energy resources.