Adam Saenger, VP Interconnect Product and Platform Experiences, Digital Realty

The PTC'25 keynote panel convened leading figures from the data center industry to explore the evolving landscape and future of data centers. From the role of widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) to the pioneering advanced cooling technologies, the data center industry is on the brink of significant evolution.

But what does it mean for data centers as they meet the increasing AI and high-performance compute (HPC) workload and application demands of large enterprises scaling their operations and seeking a competitive advantage globally?

The short answer is by redefining next-generation data center models, including the movement of data where, when, and how it best meets these evolving market needs.

Here are the key insights that stood out when I joined our CEO’s keynote panel.

Top 5 insights from PTC’25 keynote panel

Insight #1: The buyer universe will expand

The panel highlighted a significant expansion in the data center buyer universe. Traditional buyers now face competition from social media giants and emerging cloud providers, like NVIDIA Cloud. This diversification will reshape the industry, presenting new challenges and opportunities.

Insight #2: Supply chain challenges will persist

Despite improvements post-COVID, supply chain issues remain a critical concern. Securing production slots is still a challenge, as is building resilient and high-capacity infrastructure to meet the growing demand. Addressing these issues with high-density colocation is essential for sustained growth.

Insight #3: AI will drive liquid cooling adoption

Liquid cooling and advanced power solutions are emerging as game changers. The panelists noted that their organizations are pioneering liquid-to-chip and liquid immersion technologies, which are crucial for managing high-density racks. While air cooling remains relevant, the demand for HPC workloads and applications, like AI, will drive the adoption of liquid cooling and other innovative cooling solutions. Simultaneously, this will require higher-power solutions to optimize operations and manage high-density data centers.

Insight #4: AI will continue to shape the industry

AI continues to transform the data center industry. It not only drives the need for new considerations in the data center itself but also enables the movement of data within, between, and into/out of these centers with anticipated scale and intentional performance parameters prior models had not accounted for or experienced. Coupled with the vast number of technology companies vying for their share of the AI opportunity, the industry is primed for an ecosystem of partners that bring these components together to make realizing value from AI achievable.

Insight #5: Geographic and regulatory requirements will play a critical role

The panel discussed the increasing importance (and challenges) of local and regional compliance in the data center industry. From Frankfurt to Northern Virginia, each region faces unique hurdles.^1,2 Collaboration with governments and power companies is essential to navigate these challenges effectively. Practicing data sovereignty not only ensures compliance with regional laws but also increases security, customer trust, and business growth.

Looking toward the bright future of data centers

While the PTC'25 keynote panel offered valuable insights into the significant challenges the data center industry faces — including supply chain constraints and energy availability — the panel also shed light on the unprecedented growth and innovation.

By embracing new technologies, fostering collaboration, and prioritizing sustainability, the data center industry is poised to not only meet the AI and HPC workload demands of the next generation but also provide a foundation for organizations to thrive competitively.

Digital Realty is leading the data center industry in innovation. With PlatformDIGITAL®, we’re helping organizations build agile, scalable, and sustainable infrastructure to withstand the challenges of today and tomorrow, as they look to future-proof their organizations for success.

Connect with us to get started.

Footnotes:^1.McKinsey, How Data Centers and the Energy Sector Can Sate AI’s Hunger for Power, September, 2024. ^2.McKinsey, The Role of Power in Unlocking the European AI Revolution, October, 2024.

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