It will come as no surprise that AI was the hot topic at last year’s Data Center World. A quick review of the agenda for Data Center World 2025 reveals a subtle shift from AI itself to the infrastructure needed to support and scale the technology.
The event centers on power availability and reliability, as well as data center design, cooling, and sustainability – all of which are key to supporting today’s AI and high-performance computing infrastructure.
The initial excitement around AI data centers has evolved into a focus on the practical challenges: designing them efficiently, building fast enough to keep pace, securing the power they demand, and keeping them cool.
“Data centers are being reimagined to support the massive computational demands of AI and machine learning workloads by integrating GPUs and rethinking cooling, power, and network design to handle these high-density deployments,” said Bill Kleyman, CEO of AI platform and infrastructure company Apolo and the AFCOM Data Center World program chair.
“Coupled with the rise of sustainable energy solutions, the focus is clearly on building smarter, more sustainable facilities that are future-proof for the next wave of technological advancements.”
Killer Keynotes
Thousands of data center professionals from around the world will gather in Washington, D.C. on April 14–17 to hear the latest news, breakthroughs, trends, and innovations shaping the industry.
Attendees will have access to more than 130 experts across 80+ conference sessions, explore an expansive exhibition hall with over 400 booths, and take advantage of numerous networking and workshop opportunities.
The keynotes alone are worth the trip:
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Wade Vinson, chief data center engineer at Nvidia, kicks off Tuesday morning with insights into how AI is reshaping data centers. He’ll discuss the demand for faster, more energy-efficient facilities capable of supporting 100,000 GPUs and how Nvidia is addressing this challenge with innovations like digital twin technology.
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Chris Orlando, co-founder and chief strategy officer at DDC Solutions, opens Wednesday with a keynote on future-proofing data centers. As a recent Intersect360 study found that 95% of large corporations have budgets allocated for HPC and AI deployments, Orlando will examine why the traditional one-size-fits-all data center model is no longer viable – and what will replace it.
Other keynotes include:
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Natural Gas Convergence: Powering Data Centers of Tomorrow – Dave Bell, vice president of data center and microgrid development at VoltaGrid, showcases microgrid solutions tailored to data center needs.
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Powering the Future: Google and Kairos Power’s Collaborative Path to Clean Energy – Panelists Lucia Tian (Google) and Jeffrey Olson (Kairos Power) will detail the companies’ agreement to develop up to 500 MW of nuclear energy through small modular reactors (SMRs), a move set to redefine energy strategies for hyperscalers and data center operators.
Data Center World 2025 will dive into the latest innovations shaping the industry, from AI integration to next-gen cooling.
Transformative Technical Tracks
Data Center World 2025 is divided into four key tracks:
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Colocation, Hyperscale, and Cloud Innovation
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Emerging IT and Data Center Technologies
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Power Sourcing and Sustainability
Here are just a few of the highlights:
Colocation, Hyperscale, and Cloud Track
This program covers AI integration, sustainability strategies, and how to balance efficiency, scalability, and resilience in today’s demanding landscape.
Bill Kleyman will outline the latest findings from AFCOM’s annual State of the Data Center 2025 report. Later, he will return with the updated “Masterclass: Digital Infrastructure Design in the Modern Era,” guiding attendees through the entire data center build process – from blueprint to go-live.
“Whether folks are just entering the field or have decades of experience, this session will equip attendees with actionable insights and practical tools to rethink how we approach digital infrastructure design,” said Kleyman. “It’s a must-attend for anyone who wants to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of data centers.”
Emerging IT and Data Center Technologies
This track covers what’s hot – and data center cooling is high on the list. The Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) COOLERCHIPS program director, Peter de Bock, returns to DCW to update attendees on the revolutionary cooling solutions being developed to enable high-power-density AI and chipsets that minimize the amount of energy and water needed for cooling.
“The transformational cooling technologies developed under the COOLERCHIPS program are focused on reducing cooling energy by 90%, and significant progress is being made,” said de Bock.
Power Sourcing and Sustainability
This track examines sustainability from multiple angles – energy efficiency, water use, building materials, and community impact.
Nash Martis and Amanda Carter from Stantec present “Enhancing Efficiency: Electrical Considerations for Water-Cooled Data Centers.”
“Don’t miss this session if you want to learn strategies for managing PUE and energy efficiency during the transition, as well as gain insights into future scalability and planning for long-term electrical needs,” said Martis.
Madison Air president and CEO Jill Wyant will moderate a panel about responsible water use in a session, “Balancing the Water-Energy Nexus: Sustainable Data Centers in the Era of AI.”
“With the meteoric rise of AI, we’ll address factors like equipment availability and supply chain health, as well as constraints posed by natural resources such as power and water,” said Wyant.
Data Center BUILD
Last year, Data Center Build was a separate “mini-conference within a conference” at DCW. Such was the demand that it has earned its own track at the 2025 event.
As such, Data Center BUILD assembles some of the brightest minds in chip making, construction, design, infrastructure, cooling, and power distribution to dig into how data centers must evolve.
Data Center World 2025 takes place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from April 14–17.
