**Expanding AI Demands a New Digital Infrastructure Strategy**
Artificial intelligence is a key driver of the surging demand for data centers across North America, fundamentally reshaping digital infrastructure requirements.
According to a recent CBRE report titled “AI Necessitates New Blueprint for Digital Infrastructure,” some hyperscale campuses currently under development are projected to deliver over 1 gigawatt of capacity from a single location. This dramatic growth is being fueled in part by next-generation cloud providers, such as GPU-as-a-Service and Neocloud companies, which offer high-performance computing tailored for AI and machine learning. These providers rely on specialized processing units to deliver fast, scalable, and flexible resources.
As these market dynamics continue to evolve, they are redefining how data centers are built and operated. Below are key infrastructure trends highlighted by CBRE analysts:
**Power Capacity is Critical**
Modern data center users expect facilities to support high-density computing, rapid deployment, and consistent uptime. A central challenge is ensuring readily available power. As a result, many occupiers are now seeking continuous space offering 5 to 20+ megawatts of operational capacity—with availability within nine months—to support integrated, single-site operations.
**Flexible Space Design is a Must**
Scalability is essential. Cloud operators and enterprise clients are increasingly favoring facilities that support modular growth. This enables a seamless transition between wholesale and retail colocation models, allowing occupiers to adjust infrastructure in real-time to meet varying computing demands.
**Leasing Models Must Adapt**
Traditional long-term lease agreements are becoming less attractive in this dynamic environment. Instead, the industry is shifting toward flexible leasing structures, which prioritize shorter terms, renewal options, and turnkey deployment solutions. These factors are now seen as critical selling points for landlords.
**Advanced Connectivity is Non-Negotiable**
Today’s occupiers demand cutting-edge network capabilities, including high-fiber density, carrier-neutral ecosystems, and direct access to cloud services. Additionally, they expect diverse network routes and low-latency interconnectivity with major exchanges. Compliance with standards such as ISO, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA, as well as regional data privacy regulations, is considered standard.
CBRE analysts concluded that the next generation of AI-powered tenants will expect infrastructure capable of rapid scaling, seamless interconnection, and sustained performance. Operators who can meet these demands will be the ones shaping the digital landscape of 2025 and beyond.
