FEATURE E L B A C M O FR NS O I T A T S G LANDINBRID DATA TO HY TERS CEN
Building the Next Generation of Critical Infrastructure BY JOEL OGREN
INTRODUCTION
The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has ignited a digital revolution, propelling workloads into realms of unprecedented density and computational intensity. As of October 2025, AI models like large language models and generative systems demand not just more processing
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power but sustained, high-throughput environments that traditional data centers were never designed to handle. High-density workloads—characterized by racks pulling 50-100 kilowatts (kW ) or more, compared to the 5-10 kW norm of a decade ago—are straining every facet of infrastructure. This surge is reshaping how data centers are