Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Preferred Stock , Convertible, Initial Conversion Rate						$ 31.5428
Preferred Stock, Convertible, Conversion Price	$ 31.62		$ 31.62			$ 31.70
Corporate Unit, Notional Value		$ 1,043		$ 1,043		$ 1,043
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued	$ 838	838	$ 838	838	$ 838
Preferred Stock, Convertible, Current Conversion Rate	$ 31.6239		$ 31.6239
BASIC EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Income)	$ (39)	$ (179)	$ 112	$ (64)
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Shares)	669	668	669	668
Income from continuing operations attributable to The AES Corporation common stockholders (Per Share)	$ (0.06)	$ (0.27)	$ 0.17	$ (0.10)
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:
Income from continuing operations, diluted	$ (39)	$ (179)	$ 112	$ (64)
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted	669	668	712	668
Income from continuing operations, per diluted share	$ (0.06)	$ (0.27)	$ 0.16	$ (0.10)
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Stock Options, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements	0	0	1	0
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Stock Options, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted stock units (Shares)	0	0	1	0
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements	0	0	2	0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Options and Restrictive Stock Units	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted stock units (Shares)	0	0	2	0
Dilutive Securities Effect On Basic EPS, dilutive Restricted Stock Units, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Equity Unit Purchase Agreements
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Equity Unit Purchase Agreements	0	0	40	0
Dilutive Securities Effect on Basic EPS, dilutive Equity Unit Purchase Agreements, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ (0.01)	$ 0
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Dilutive Convertible Securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
EFFECT OF DILUTIVE SECURITIES
Dilutive Securities Effect on Basic EPS, dilutive Equity Unit Purchase Agreements, per diluted share	$ 0	$ 0	$ (0.01)	$ 0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Equity Unit Purchase Agreements	0	0	40	0
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Dilutive Convertible Securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0