American data centers are about to create a significant headache for the natural gas market. According to Bloomberg NEF's latest analysis, the surge in computational infrastructure—driven by AI expansion—will push the US gas sector into deficit starting 2026. The projection raises eyebrows within the energy sector, especially considering earlier assumptions that natural gas alone could reliably power the next generation of data facilities. Critics are pointing out the disconnect: policymakers and industry players downplayed nuclear energy's role in solving this problem, betting instead that gas infrastructure could shoulder the entire load. But the numbers tell a different story. As data center demand accelerates, gas production and pipeline capacity simply won't scale fast enough to meet both traditional grid demands and the emerging computational load. The result? Market tightness, potential price spikes, and growing pressure to reconsider energy strategies for large-scale infrastructure projects.