AI is rapidly transforming data centers, as the massive computational workloads required to support generative AI, autonomous systems, and numerous other advanced technologies are pressing current facilities to their limits.
By 2030, data centers are expected to reach 35 gigawatts of power consumption annually, up from 17 GW in 2022, according to management consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
AI is fundamentally reshaping the data center landscape, not just in scale but also in purpose, says Vivian Lee, a managing director and partner with Boston Consulting Group. “What used to be infrastructure built to support enterprise IT is now being retooled to meet the massive and growing demands of AI, particularly large language models,” she notes in an email interview.
Rapid Growth
AI is driving major changes in how data centers are designed and built, especially in terms of density, says Graham Merriman, leader of Rogers-O’Brien Construction’s data center projects. “We’re seeing more computing and more power packed into tighter footprints,” he observes in an online discussion. “That shift is also reshaping the supporting infrastructure, particularly cooling.”
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