Podcast Summary: Earn Your Leisure – "Uncovering the Next Big Opportunity: Powering AI with Energy Giants"

Hosts: Rashad Bilal & Troy Millings
Release Date: November 28, 2025
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

This episode centers on the crucial and often overlooked intersection between artificial intelligence (AI) expansion and the energy sector. Rashad, Troy, and their guest delve deep into how energy companies—especially those providing natural gas turbines—are uniquely positioned to profit from the surging demand in AI and data centers. The discussion highlights major industry players, investing ideas, and the real-world infrastructure required to keep AI's growth powered.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Missing Conversation: Energy as the Backbone of AI

[15:00]

• The hosts emphasize that while much attention goes to GPUs and semiconductors powering AI, none of it is possible without vast amounts of reliable energy.
• "Everybody's talking AI, everybody's talking GPUs—and that's great, but none of this works without power. Right."
  — [Troy, 15:14]
• There is urgency due to the belief that this is a national security matter; data centers and AI models require immediate energy solutions.

Short-term Solutions: Natural Gas Turbines

[16:00]

• The hosts identify natural gas turbines as an effective short-term answer to the surging power needs of AI data centers, as alternatives like nuclear and solar are not yet at scale.
• Recent winners in the space include Caterpillar and especially the newly spun-off GE Vernova.

Spotlight: GE Vernova Leads the Pack

[17:25]

• GE Vernova, a spinoff from General Electric, dominates the global market for gas turbines (34% global market share in 2024). Their order book for 2025 is strong, with over 20,000 megawatts.
• "That number is going to increase as we see more AI data centers put online. We don't have nuclear reactors to fulfill the power that's needed... what we do have is our gas turbines."
  — [Guest, 18:07]
• GE Vernova’s major partnerships include AWS, Duke Energy, NextEra Energy, and Chevron. Internationally, they’ve partnered with Saudi Advanced Turbines, indicating a global strategy.

The Saudi Factor: International Collaboration

[19:25]

• Discussion of American tech and energy executives visiting Saudi Arabia to lay the groundwork for AI infrastructure.
• This signals a broad, international buildout of AI capability and underscores the global competition for leadership in the space.

Investment Focus: Picking the Right Energy Giants

[21:00]

• Not all energy companies stand equal; the hosts warn against investing in lesser players. They recommend focusing on “the big four”:
  • GE Vernova
  • Duke Energy
  • NextEra Energy
  • Vistra Energy
  • With Constellation and Oklo (nuclear start-up) as additional names to watch.
• "All energy companies are not created equal... I want to be very clear. That's a winner. NextEra has been one of my favorites... But can we round out what you think the big four would be in terms of energy?" — [Rashad, 21:34]

ETFs and “Set-it-and-Forget-it” Approaches

[23:00]

• For those not wanting to pick individual stocks, utilities-focused ETFs like XLU (SPDR Utilities Select Sector ETF) offer exposure to the largest players in the sector.

Big Picture: The Body Needs Fuel

[23:45]

• The hosts draw an analogy: AI and data centers are like a body, and “you need fuel in order for you to work… all those companies, the GPUs, the connectivity, none of it works if it doesn’t have power.” — [Troy, 23:53]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [15:14] Troy:
  "Everybody's talking AI, everybody's talking GPUs—and that's great, but none of this works without power. Right."
• [18:07] Guest:
  "That number is going to increase as we see more AI data centers put online. We don't have nuclear reactors to fulfill the power that's needed... what we do have is our gas turbines."
• [21:34] Rashad:
  "All energy companies are not created equal... I want to be very clear. That's a winner. NextEra has been one of my favorites... But can we round out what you think the big four would be in terms of energy?"
• [23:53] Troy:
  "If this is a body, you, you need fuel, right? In order for you to work, these data sets are going to need power or none of this works. All those companies, the GPUs, the connectivity, none of it works if it doesn't have power."

Important Timestamps

• 15:00 – Introduction to energy as the overlooked foundation of AI
• 16:00 – Gas turbines as the realistic short-term solution
• 17:25 – Deep dive on GE Vernova and partnerships
• 19:25 – The international angle: U.S.-Saudi collaboration
• 21:00 – Guidance for investors: the “big four” energy companies
• 23:00 – ETF strategies for energy sector exposure
• 23:45 – Memorable “body needs fuel” analogy to frame the discussion

Conclusion

This episode powerfully re-centers the conversation around AI by focusing on the foundational role of the energy sector, especially as AI’s demands push infrastructure to new limits. The hosts offer practical investment insights, highlight leaders in the space, and draw vivid analogies to help listeners understand why picking the right energy partners is key to capturing the next big opportunity in tech and business. The tone remains fast-moving and educational, mixing street-smart investing insight with broader observations about where the AI revolution is truly being powered.