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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the way data centers operate. As demand for AI processing continues to accelerate, facility managers are having to rethink their data center design. While the rewards are promising, the risks are real, especially when systems scale faster than safeguards.
While it’s highly accepted that AI is capable of complex decision making, no algorithm can handle the nuance that comes with MEP systems that support the cooling and airflow necessary to operate data centers. Giving AI access to these systems without oversight is risky. AI follows rules, and in situations that require contextual judgement this can have consequences such as equipment failure.
AI also consumes a significant amount of power. One AI query can consume up to ten times more power than a standard search (Goldman Sachs). This means more heat, more cooling, and more pressure on an already strained infrastructure.
Mitigating these risks starts with boundaries. Our top three recommendations include limiting AI to non-critical systems or test environments, building in fail-safe overrides to ensure human engineers can intervene if the situation calls for it, and adopting AI gradually with careful monitoring and iteration.
Implemented correctly, AI makes data centers smarter. It can predict loads, optimize energy use, and trigger real-time adjustments to improve efficiency. It’s also fueling a wave of infrastructure innovation such as chip-level cooling and immersion-based thermal systems.
On a broader scale, AI is creating economic opportunities. It’s drawing multi-billion-dollar investments into emerging markets, creating jobs, and accelerating digital development around the world. Economists predict that by 2030, over one million additional skilled workers will be needed across the AI-driven data center and semiconductor sectors (Deloitte).
The ever-evolving AI landscape will bring new opportunities and new challenges, so we need to stay ahead of these and implement responsibly. Curious how AI can improve your data center’s performance? Email me at jsneed@wbengineering.com or call me 737.263.3631 to start a conversation.
