Cisco Systems recently launched two data center devices optimized for artificial intelligence (AI) models at a partner event in Los Angeles. These new systems will further enhance Cisco's hardware product lineup to help enterprises efficiently handle AI-related workloads. The first product line introduced is the UCS C885A M8 series servers, which can support up to eight graphics processing units (GPUs), providing robust computing power for enterprise users. Cisco offers three GPU options for this series.

DataBank, a data center developer based in the United States, has successfully raised nearly AUD 3 billion (approximately USD 2.01 billion) to build three new data center facilities in the United States. The lead investor in this round of financing is AustralianSuper, the largest superannuation fund in Australia. Image source note: Photo generated by AI, image licensed by Midjourney. AustralianSuper stated on Wednesday that it has invested in DataBank's financing plan.

Recently, Google announced an agreement with nuclear startup Kairos Power to build seven small nuclear reactors to power its data centers. This collaboration will provide approximately 500 megawatts of zero-carbon power to Google's operations, amid a surge in energy demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. According to Google, these new power plants are expected to be operational by the end of 2030. However, it remains unclear how these reactors will be...

Recently, OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman held an important meeting at the White House with U.S. government officials, discussing the necessity of constructing large-scale data centers in America. Each of these data centers could consume as much electricity as a small city. OpenAI believes that such expansion is crucial for advancing more sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) models and is an important measure to ensure the United States maintains its leading position in the global technology competition. Image source note: Image generated by AI, image licensed by service provider.

Google has recently issued a warning that the UK may fall behind in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race, particularly if the government does not expedite the construction of data centers and ease restrictions on the use of copyrighted works. Google UK’s managing director, Derby Weinstein, stated that while the government recognizes the opportunities in AI, more policies are needed to promote its application. Image Source Note: The image is AI-generated, with authorization from the service provider Midjourney. Weinstein noted that the UK ranks only seventh in the global AI readiness index, which is behind other countries.

In today's rapidly advancing world of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Microsoft and BlackRock have taken a significant step forward. The two giants announced the joint launch of a fund exceeding $30 billion, focusing on AI infrastructure investment, primarily covering data centers and energy projects. This major announcement was made on Tuesday and immediately generated a tremendous response in the global tech and finance circles. With the continuous advancement of AI technology, particularly the widespread application of deep learning and large-scale data processing models, the demand for computing power has shown explosive growth.

Recently, AI chip company Groq, based in California, has reached a partnership agreement with Saudi Arabia's oil giant Aramco to establish a large data center in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this data center is to enhance Saudi Arabia's capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence and further promote the diversification of the country's economy. Groq's CEO, Jonathan Ross, stated that the data center is expected to be operational by the end of the year, initially equipped with 19,000 Language Processing Units (LPUs). Image source note: Picture

Recently, an analysis by The Guardian revealed that there may be serious misleading practices by tech companies in handling the environmental impact of their AI data centers. The emission data reported by tech giants like Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Apple significantly diverges from reality. According to this analysis, the actual emissions from these companies are 662% higher than the figures they officially disclose, and this is just the tip of the iceberg, as this study only covers data from 2020 to 2022. Image source note: Image generated by AI, image licensed from service provider Midjou.

Amazon's cloud computing division - Amazon Web Services (AWS) recently announced that they will invest $10 billion over the next five years to build, operate, and maintain data centers in the UK. Image source note: The image is AI generated and authorized by the provider Midjourney. This decision marks Amazon's further expansion in the UK, where the company established its first AWS region back in 2016, which includes centralized data centers. Additionally, AWS has three availability zones and two Waves in the UK.

The rapid development of AI technology has propelled GPUs to become a hot commodity worldwide, with Nvidia reporting significant growth in the second quarter, exceeding $30 billion in revenue. However, powerful GPUs require adequate data centers to support the AI demand. Nvidia, along with partners, is investing $160 million in Applied Digital to expedite the construction of data centers in North Dakota, aiming to provide data center and cloud services around Nvidia's GPUs. The construction of data centers is crucial, as GPUs are expensive.

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, the power consumption of data centers has received widespread attention, but their water consumption has also surged dramatically, posing a challenge to the sustainability goals of tech companies. Taking Virginia as an example, since 2019, water usage in data centers has skyrocketed by nearly 64%, with consumption exceeding 7 billion liters in 2023, handling approximately 70% of global internet traffic. High water consumption mainly stems from cooling systems and equipment maintenance needs. The expansion of AI technology has intensified pressure on water resources, prompting tech companies to optimize water usage strategies for sustainable development.

Nvidia's latest earnings report shows revenue reaching $30.4 billion, a 122% increase compared to the same period last year, exceeding analysts' expectations. Data center revenue grew by 154%, reaching $26.3 billion, becoming a focal point. Nvidia expects to set a new record for shipments next year, with founder and CEO Jensen Huang mentioning that the company's development is closely tied to the increasing complexity of AI models, aiming to drive an industrial revolution by reducing costs and expanding AI model scales. The significant growth in data center revenue reflects strong demand for AI.

The water consumption of data centers has skyrocketed, especially in Virginia, where it has nearly doubled from 2019 to 2023, reflecting a significant global demand for water resources. The water usage by tech giants Microsoft and Google indicates that substantial amounts of water are being consumed in areas facing water scarcity and extreme shortages. However, data centers struggle to implement closed-loop water recycling systems mainly because the water used for humidity control evaporates, particularly in dry regions, which may increase static electricity risks and be detrimental to equipment. As artificial intelligence becomes more widespread, the number of data centers and the demand for water resources continues to grow.

Goldman Sachs research predicts that by 2030, data center power demand will surge by 160%, primarily driven by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. A simple query using ChatGPT consumes up to 2.9 watt-hours of power, far exceeding the 0.3 watt-hours used for a typical Google search, highlighting the immense computational demand of AI. This growth will pose challenges to the power market, leading to increased electricity costs, particularly affecting residents near data center areas. By 2028, it is expected that artificial intelligence will account for a significant portion of the total power demand in data centers.

A study commissioned by Amazon Web Services (AWS) reveals that using AWS data centers for compute-intensive or artificial intelligence (AI) workloads results in a significant 98% reduction in carbon emissions compared to on-premises data centers. Accenture's research indicates that migrating IT workloads to cloud data centers is an effective strategy to minimize environmental footprints. AWS's global infrastructure is 4.1 times more efficient than on-premises data centers, and Indian organizations have the potential to achieve a 99% reduction in carbon emissions by optimizing AI workloads on AWS. This is attributed to AWS's hardware utilization.

AMD's Q2 sales show strong performance in the data center market, with Instinct MI300X GPU sales exceeding $1 billion and projected to generate over $4.5 billion in FY2024. Data center revenue rose 115% year-on-year to $2.8 billion, nearly half of total revenue. However, gaming revenue fell 59% due to decreased demand for Microsoft and Sony consoles. AMD expects continued decline in gaming revenue in Q3, but growth in data center and client produ....