Global data center markets are experiencing a pronounced imbalance between demand and available capacity, driven heavily by artificial intelligence uses. CBRE’s latest Global Data Center Trends report finds that occupiers seeking capacity can no longer assume space will be available on their preferred timelines, even as new supply continues to enter the pipeline.
Across the 16 largest data center markets worldwide, total supply reached 16 gigawatts in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 25% increase year-over-year. Despite this substantial expansion, average global vacancy declined to 6.7%, down from 8.3% a year earlier. This combination of rapid capacity growth and falling vacancies points to tightening conditions across all major regions.
Pat Lynch, executive managing director for CBRE Data Center Solutions, noted that demand is outpacing even aggressive additions to supply. As a result, data center users are being pushed to adjust their strategies, often by securing capacity earlier in their planning cycle and accepting what is available from a power and space standpoint. Lynch also highlighted a growing emphasis on markets that can provide dependable power to support long-term growth, underscoring how energy reliability has become an essential factor in occupier decision-making.
CBRE’s report also underscores the strength of preleasing in key U.S. hubs. In the four largest U.S. data center markets, 80% of the space that was under construction at the end of 2025 had already been preleased. This high level of precommitment suggests that much of the new capacity coming online is spoken for before delivery, further limiting options for users who delay their search for space.
Overall, the findings indicate that tight vacancies, strong preleasing, and AI-driven demand are reshaping expectations around availability and timing in global data center planning, with power reliability emerging as a defining consideration for future deployment strategies.
