AI’s data centre boom is rewriting global infrastructure

In Short:
– The rise of AI has increased power needs, making liquid cooling essential for effective thermal management.
– Close collaboration with the semiconductor industry is necessary for developing future-ready cooling technologies.

AI is reshaping the future of data centre infrastructure, with demand for power and cooling systems accelerating worldwide.

Rich Whitmore, CEO and President of Motivair by Schneider Electricc, explains why traditional cooling methods can no longer keep pace with next generation AI chips.

Liquid cooling is emerging as the industry’s answer, improving efficiency while protecting massive infrastructure investments, while collaboration with semiconductor manufacturers is becoming essential to prepare for future AI workloads and global scale deployment.

At the same time, the broader data centre industry is undergoing a historic transformation.

As Steven Carlini, Chief Advocate, AI and Data Centre at Schneider Electric, outlines, the sector has evolved from 1970s computer rooms in concrete bunkers to today’s cloud era infrastructure, where rack densities have climbed from around 3 kW to over 10 kW per rack and beyond.

What were once tens of megawatts have grown into 300 MW campuses, with plans now emerging for 1 GW and even 5 GW data centre projects.

Looking ahead, energy systems supporting this expansion are also set for disruption.

As carbon free generation scales, green hydrogen based backup power is expected to become increasingly viable, enabled by falling electrolyser costs and advances in storage and distribution.

Over time, green hydrogen fuel cells and backup turbines could replace fossil fuel based systems, with forecasts suggesting clean hydrogen may account for up to 75 to 100 percent of hydrogen demand by 2050.

This transition adds another layer to the sustainability shift already reshaping global data centre strategy.