Big Tech is in the midst of a spending spree on new, creative ways to make energy in the U.S., as AI drives data center power demand through the roof. Start-ups focusing on hydrogen, small nuclear reactors, fusion, and even geothermal are getting hundreds of millions from the likes of OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Microsoft, Google and Amazon. But China is outspending the U.S. in some areas, and the efficiency breakthroughs of DeepSeek have cast doubt on energy needs. CNBC went behind the scenes at two companies creating energy in unusual ways – and talked to the heads of four more – to see how they work, and ask if an AI power crisis could finally help realize the elusive dream of low-carbon, scalable, affordable energy. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:42 Surging 24/7 needs 5:42 Hydrogen hopes 8:19 Nuclear resurgence 13:03 Geothermal and solar Produced and shot by: Katie Tarasov Edited by: Matthew Soto Additional Camera: Magdalena Petrova Additional Reporting: Jordan Novet Senior Director of Video: Jeniece Pettitt Animation: Mallory Brangan Editorial Support: Erin Black Additional Footage: ECL, Exowatt, Fervo Energy, Getty Images, Google, Helion, Last Energy, Oklo » Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision About CNBC: From ‘Wall Street’ to ‘Main Street’ to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video an…