Abstract The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and data centre 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 centres and coal-fired power plants, our survival analysis shows that coal power plants exposed to data centres built after 2020 exhibit significantly lower retirement risk. This link is more pronounced for plants with lower C02 emission intensity and higher thermal efficiency. Each standard deviation increase in post-2020 data centre exposure is associated with about 1.7% extension of Consequently, the 937 exposed coal-fired power generation units are projected to ollectively emit an additional 1.96 GtC02 (95% confidence interval 1.01-2.92) from 2025 until heir retirement. Our estimates underscore the need to integrate digital infrastructure onsiderations into net-zero pathways.