NVIDIA, Emerald AI Partner on Next-Generation Power-Flexible AI Factories
AI data centers are consuming electricity at a rapidly rising rate, while traditional grids plan capacity around peak demand, often leaving large facilities facing delays in connecting to the grid. NVIDIA and Emerald AI aim to turn AI Factories from fixed loads into dispatchable assets. Using the Vera Rubin DSX reference design and Conductor platform, the facilities can adjust computing activity and power consumption in response to grid signals while protecting priority workloads and maintaining power reliability.
On March 23, 2026, NVIDIA and Emerald AI said they were working with AES, Constellation, Invenergy, NextEra Energy, Nscale and Vistra to develop flexible AI factories. The companies have completed tests at five commercial data centers, and DSX Flex is expected to be deployed commercially in Virginia by year-end. They estimate the technology could unlock up to 100 GW of capacity on the U.S. power grid. Financial terms were not disclosed.
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The history behind this eventNvidia, Google Launch AI Energy Alliance to Ease Grid Strain
Power-hungry AI data centers are running into grid-connection bottlenecks as utilities struggle to accommodate large, rapidly changing loads on infrastructure designed around more predictable demand. Demand response offers a way to use existing capacity more efficiently: operators can pause noncritical jobs, shift computing elsewhere, discharge storage or temporarily reduce consumption during periods of stress, then increase usage when electricity is abundant. The approach could improve reliability and limit the costs passed on to power customers.
Emerald AI, Google and NVIDIA launched the AI Energy Management Alliance, or AEMA, on Sept. 16, 2026, alongside 18 launch partners including Anthropic, AES, Constellation, National Grid and NRG Energy. The group says flexible computing could create room for an additional 100 gigawatts of data-center capacity on existing grids. Emerald AI, whose software coordinates utility requests with computing loads, also recently raised $150 million in a Series A round led by Energize Capital and DCVC.
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