Increasing adoption of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT) among others will have a profound impact on how data centers are designed and built in the future says a report by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).
According to the report titled Data Centers 2024 Global Outlook, “The data center industry has experienced explosive growth over the past decade, driven by ever-increasing demand for cloud services and the expanding use of web-enabled devices globally. Now in 2024, AI and machine learning is prompting a fundamental shift in data center design, site selection and investment approach.”
The report further says, “The highly specialized equipment needed to support AI densities, particularly liquid cooling, will transform traditional facility design. Data center providers are rapidly changing designs to support these new requirements.” It explains, “Generative AI requires more densely clustered and performance-intensive IT infrastructure than the framework found in standard data centers, producing much more heat. The power consumed by generative AI workloads fluctuates more than traditional IT workloads, creating challenges in optimizing a facility’s overall efficiency.”
The report then goes on to explain the possible impact of increased adoption of AI on rack density in data centers saying, “The rapid adoption of generative AI will continue to drive the upward trajectory of rack power density. Average rack density has been slowly climbing over the past few years and will see significant jumps in the coming years.”
It then refers to findings of a report titled DC Deployment Model and Spend Forecast, 2H22: 2022-2027 by the International Data Corporation (IDC) and says, “Hyperscalers, which have been at the forefront of adopting AI and high-performance computing (HPC), have the greatest need for high-density infrastructure. Currently, their large facilities have an estimated average density of 36kW per rack, which IDC estimates will grow at a 7.8% CAGR in the coming years to approach 50kW by 2027. Many AI cluster requirements are projected to hit 80-100kW/rack.”
