STACK EMEA on the Importance of Data Centre Investment
With data centres spearheading the future of digital growth, from cloud to AI, they are mission-critical to unlocking a digital economy that is both innovative and sustainable. Therefore, as demand for services grows, so does the need for reliable and future-proof data centre facilities that are driven by accessibility and efficiency.
This means that the growth of digital services and the expansion of data centres are interlinked, as Alison Gutman, STACK EMEA’s Senior Vice President, Business Management, explains.
“As leaders across Europe strive to balance sovereignty with free trade and economic growth, they are recognising the need to build and protect key strategic assets,” she tells us. “This recognition presents many opportunities and a few risks for the data centre sector.
“Ultimately, we need to educate communities on the vital role data centres play in delivering the productivity, innovation, economic growth, and cost savings associated with the digital technologies – and especially AI – that everyone wants.”
Viewing data centres as powerful strategic assets
Multiple key industries, including manufacturing and healthcare, rely on data centres to fuel their next-generation technologies and support essential services. Therefore, Alison explains that investing in digital infrastructure is essential, with data centres building a strong foundation for a competitive economy across Europe.
“In the US, one of President Trump’s first acts was to announce the US$500bn Stargate project, aimed specifically at creating the data centre capacity to sustain AI development,” Alison says.
“Although initially focused on developing US-based infrastructure, recent developments suggest that Stargate investors, OpenAI and Softbank, are looking to expand to the UK, France and Germany.”
“We need to educate communities on the vital role data centres play in delivering the productivity, innovation, economic growth, and cost savings associated with the digital technologies.”
These types of developments remain critical to Europe’s ability to meet surging demands for AI in particular. According to McKinsey, demand for data centres is expected to more than triple in Europe by 2030 – citing that nearly US$7tn capital expenditure needed for AI infrastructure.
On this, Alison explains: “The numbers are eyewatering, but if Europe is to achieve these ambitions for growth, competitiveness and innovation and become AI leaders, we must have the right infrastructure in place; this is where data centre providers will play a transformational role.”
Alison Gutman: Data centre industry must ‘invest in innovation’
Data centres are the essential backbone to powering cloud and AI infrastructure. In response, countries across Europe are eager to adopt AI to power national growth – including the UK for example, which is pushing ahead with infrastructure developments.
“Europe needs data centres to support the ‘inference’ phase of AI use, irrespective of where models are built and trained,” Alison notes. “The potential of AI to positively transform many aspects of European society, from productivity and growth to health and environmental protection, will continue to drive demand for locally-based data centres as well as catalyse industry growth.”
“The potential of AI to positively transform many aspects of European society, from productivity and growth to health and environmental protection, will continue to drive demand for locally-based data centres as well as catalyse industry growth.”
To tackle the data centre industry skills gap, companies like STACK are investing in education and talent programmes with school children. Investing in the skills needed for the future, according to Alison, will hope to charge Europe’s sustainable digital economy and provide further pathways into the sector.
“Education and awareness for school children, and expert apprenticeship and graduate programmes for young people entering the workforce, are vital in creating a steady stream of motivated, capable and committed talent to be part of this transformation,” she says. “The STACK Academy seeks to expand the talent pool with early and mid-career individuals, to go through 18-month on-the-job training.”
She adds: “As hubs for the digital economy, data centres act as the catalysts for innovation and local economic growth, drawing entrepreneurs, financial institutions and supporting industries to the gravity of data, connectivity and processing power they deliver.
“Investments in data centres are investments in jobs for local communities.”
Giving Europe a competitive and sustainable advantage
Ultimately, enabling greater data centre capacity leaves more room for growth. As Alison explains, digitalisation can lead to better environmental outcomes and could lead to Europe fulfilling its ambition of sustainable growth.
Alison says: “Europe has the expertise, vision and infrastructure to become a global leader in delivering clean digital solutions that benefit everyone.
“We can seize this opportunity and build a future where sustainability and growth go hand in hand.”
Explore the latest edition of Data Centre Magazine and be part of the conversation at our global conference series, Tech & AI LIVE and Data Centre LIVE.
Discover all our upcoming events and secure your tickets today
Data Centre Magazine is a BizClik brand
