November 11, 2026 - The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure has generated substantial electricity demand and raised concerns about delayed phase-out of coal power, yet this relationship has not been empirically assessed. Here, using global datasets on data centers and coal-fired power plants, our survival analysis shows that coal power plants exposed to data centers built after 2020 exhibit significantly lower retirement risk. This link is more pronounced for plants with lower CO2 emission intensity and higher thermal efficiency. Each standard deviation increase in post-2020 data center exposure is associated with about 1.7% extension of plant lifespan. Consequently, the 937 exposed coal-fired power generation units are projected to collectively emit an additional 1.96 GtCO2 (95% confidence interval 1.01–2.92) from 2025 until their retirement. Our estimates underscore the need to integrate digital infrastructure considerations into net-zero pathways.

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