The AI industry is turning to an old energy favorite to bring its data centers online fast: natural gas

A natural gas plant in Garden City, Texas. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The AI industry is driving a surge in energy demand to power its data centers.

AI companies are finding the fastest way to get that power is by using natural gas.

As a result, after years of progress to prioritize renewables, natural gas is making a comeback.

As AI companies race to secure power for their data centers , natural gas is having a moment.

Data centers are growing bigger and more power-intensive . They are being built on tighter timelines than ever before, and the current power infrastructure in the United States is struggling to keep up.

"Speed matters," Vivian Lee, a managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group , told Business Insider.…