AI to Drive Significant Changes in Data Center Operations by 2025

Vertiv, a provider of digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has released its projections for data centre trends in 2025, emphasizing the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the industry.  

Key Projections for 2025

• Support for High-Density Computing: The demand for advanced AI-driven applications is expected to accelerate innovation and integration in data centres, necessitating new approaches to high-density computing and energy management.  
• Regulatory Scrutiny on AI: As AI technologies expand their influence, regulatory frameworks are anticipated to evolve, requiring data centres to ensure compliance with new standards. 
• Sustainability Prioritization: There will be an increasing emphasis on sustainable practices in data centre operations, driven by environmental considerations and stakeholder expectations.  
• Enhanced Cybersecurity: The integration of AI will also necessitate advancements in cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive data and maintain operational integrity.  

Vertiv's projections highlight the growing role of AI in reshaping data centre infrastructure, reflecting broader technological and regulatory shifts in the digital ecosystem.

“Our experts correctly identified the proliferation of AI and the need to transition to more complex liquid- and air-cooling strategies as a trend for 2024, and activity on that front is expected to further accelerate and evolve in 2025,” said Vertiv CEO Giordano (Gio) Albertazzi. “With AI driving rack densities into three- and four-digit kWs, the need for advanced and scalable solutions to power and cool those racks, minimize their environmental footprint, and empower these emerging AI Factories has never been higher. We anticipate significant progress on that front in 2025, and our customers demand it.”

2025 Data Center Trends: Vertiv Experts Outline Key Developments

Vertiv experts have identified several trends likely to shape the data centre industry in 2025. These developments, driven by increasing demand for AI and advanced technologies, focus on infrastructure innovation, energy challenges, collaboration, cybersecurity, and regulatory changes.

1. Power and Cooling Infrastructure Adapts to High-Density Computing

With compute-intensive workloads on the rise, the industry is expected to shift towards more advanced cooling and power solutions. As AI expands beyond early cloud and colocation environments, data centres will increasingly rely on GPU-driven systems, which require more efficient cooling methods, such as cold-plate and immersion cooling, to manage heat at the rack level.

AI-driven racks will demand higher power densities, requiring uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), batteries, and power distribution systems to handle fluctuating loads. Liquid cooling systems, coupled with dedicated UPS systems, will become more prevalent. Servers will also be integrated with cooling infrastructure to improve energy efficiency and reduce deployment time.

2. Energy Availability Becomes a Priority

As global power consumption by data centres continues to rise, driven by AI, energy availability is becoming a pressing concern. Data centres currently consume 1-2% of the world's power, a figure expected to increase to 3-4% by 2030. Overextended grids and rising power demands could lead to regulatory restrictions on data centre builds and energy use.

In response, organizations are prioritizing energy-efficient solutions, including microgrid deployments, fuel cells, and alternative battery technologies. Long-term options, such as small modular reactors, are being developed to meet the energy needs of large data centres.

3. Collaboration to Support AI Factory Development

As AI adoption accelerates, the demand for high-density racks, sometimes exceeding 500 kW, is expected to disrupt the industry. To address this, stakeholders—including chip developers, infrastructure manufacturers, and utilities—are collaborating to create roadmaps that enable AI adoption.

This collaboration includes AI-powered tools to speed up engineering and manufacturing for both standardized and customized designs. Industry players are moving towards partnerships that integrate IT and infrastructure more effectively.

4. AI’s Impact on Cybersecurity

AI is increasingly being used by cybercriminals to launch sophisticated attacks, including ransomware. The data center industry is facing growing cybersecurity challenges, as AI tools are leveraged to target control systems, embedded devices, and connected hardware that may not meet the same security standards as network components.

In response, cybersecurity professionals are developing AI-based defense systems to counter these threats. While fundamental security practices remain crucial, the evolving nature of cyberattacks requires advanced AI-driven security measures.

5. Regulatory Focus on AI and Energy Usage

Regulatory bodies are starting to address the implications of AI, with a focus on governance and usage. Countries are developing frameworks to manage AI, such as the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act and China's AI Safety Governance Framework. These regulations aim to control the development and deployment of AI technologies.

In addition to AI governance, regulators are expected to focus on the energy and environmental impact of AI-driven data centres. While regulations will initially focus on AI applications, they may later extend to energy consumption and resource management in data centres.

In 2025, governance will remain localized, with variations in enforcement depending on regional policies and regulations.

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