That’s one of the main points of the article I linked to in post #1.
Storage takes very little energy compared to processing - and that’s what search engine activity and AI use by the boatload so yes, it’s AI driving most of the demand.
I hope this isn’t another daft question from me.
Why is it that data centres push up bills for local residents?
When I’m in charge, they will have to put in their own power supply. 
I think it’s an American thing where prices aren’t regulated so supply and demand kicks in. More demand, limited supply, price goes up
We watch tv using a satellite solar powered and last many years as do the satellite receiver boxes, well that just wont do in a world where we should be reducing energy, so lets build a new system where we need more data and distribution and everyone throws away perfectly good receivers just so they buy another system to do the same thing but we control it even more whilst burdening the family with yet another higher monthly charge.