The data center industry isn’t just evolving – it’s being redefined in real time. That’s the message from AFCOM Data Center World program chair Bill Kleyman, speaking from the Data Center Knowledge News Desk at DCW 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Describing the current climate as “extraordinary,” Kleyman likened the AI-driven shift to a world discovering oil before inventing the internal combustion engine. “There’s way too much raw material, and not a lot of people know what to do with it quite yet,” he said.
Kleyman emphasized that the conversation has moved beyond technology toward something more fundamental: how humanity interacts with data. From exploding rack densities to the rise of megawatt-class infrastructure, he said operators are racing to adapt.
He believes the shift is already underway with projections of up to 40 GW of AI-related demand in the U.S. by 2030. But the real challenge, he noted, is not just meeting capacity needs – it’s understanding the “imperative to embrace” this new reality.
▶️ Watch the full interview here:
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