As AI infrastructure expands rapidly across North America, the energy consumption of massive data centers is becoming impossible to ignore. Chicago's leading utility provider, Commonwealth Edison, is now actively implementing measures to shield residential consumers from soaring electricity costs triggered by the data center surge. The company recognizes a critical challenge: while AI-powered computing demands skyrocket, traditional power grids weren't built to handle this scale. Without proactive intervention, everyday households could face significant bill increases. This scenario mirrors concerns in the cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors, where computational intensity and energy consumption have long been hotly debated. As both AI and Web3 infrastructure compete for grid capacity, utilities worldwide are grappling with how to balance innovation with affordability—a tension that will shape energy markets for years to come.