Tech Industry Scrambles for Data Centers to Meet AI Demands 📈

How do we shift into energy efficient design for the future? ⚡️

Design is everywhere. And it’s not just digital, it’s physical. If you joined me early on in my journey, I focused on digital products. Now, I’m going beyond that to talk about design in the world, and yes, that includes hardware. 😉 Today, I want to talk about the infrastructure that runs the world. What powers our online life and the rise of AI products? Data centers.

I would like to see companies doing intentional planning around negative impacts. This is something I teach in my growth course. We use my Sustainable Futures Prism in the ideation phase of design to understand negative impacts. That being said, this is NOT what’s happening. Companies are chasing the profit puppy when it comes to AI (concerned they will lose out to competitors) and dealing with environmental repercussions as a secondary problem. 👀

What is a Data Center?

Data centers house server racks that hold chips known as graphics processing units (GPUs). They are the amongst the most important infrastructure of the 21st century. Data centers require a lot of power and they require it consistently. 24/7.

If we lose power from the electrical grid, the data centers must be kept running, that’s why these data campuses have back up power like electrical generators. Many currently run on gas or even coal. The rise in demand has even delayed the closure of coal plants. That being said, the goal for the end of the decade is to replace them either with hydrogen powered generators or new advanced fuel cells.