The Uptime Institute’s 2024 Artificial Intelligence and Software Survey provides insights into the adoption and impact of AI in data centres. Conducted between June 13 and July 24, 2024, the survey includes responses from 448 data centre owner/operators.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in data centres is revolutionising the industry. The Uptime Institute’s 2024 Artificial Intelligence and Software Survey sheds light on how AI is being adopted and its impact on data centre operations. Here are the key insights for data centre professionals.
A significant 59% of organisations are training AI in their on-premises data centres. This preference highlights the importance of maintaining control over AI workloads. Other popular locations include public cloud (34%), co-location facilities (31%), and edge facilities (20%).
AI is proving to be a game-changer in data centres. The top benefits reported include improving root-cause analysis of operational problems (57%), reducing cooling energy costs (44%), and minimising failure risks from human error (43%). These advantages underscore AI’s role in enhancing efficiency and reliability.
Investment in AI is on the rise, with 79% of organisations increasing their AI spending. This investment is paying off, with more than half of the respondents reporting a significant (13%) or modest (40%) return on investment (ROI). This trend indicates a growing confidence in AI’s value.
AI is driving up compute capacity demand, with 70% of organisations experiencing an increase. Most organisations estimate this demand to rise by 10%-25%, highlighting the need for scalable infrastructure to support AI workloads.
Despite the benefits, there are challenges to AI adoption. The major barriers include inadequate staff skills and training (39%), integration complexity (36%), and high costs (33%). Addressing these issues is crucial for maximising AI’s potential.
By focusing on strategic AI training locations, leveraging AI for efficiency and reliability, increasing investment, and overcoming adoption barriers, data centre professionals can harness AI’s full potential