Hey friends,
Just wrapped up a whirlwind few weeks across DICE National, keynotes, and backstage conversations with industry leaders, and I’ve got one word for you: transformation.
We’re not just evolving. We’re hitting 1 megawatt per rack, testing superconductor cooling, and watching the financial backbone of infrastructure shift in real time.
So let’s catch you up 👇
1. 🔥 What We Learned at DICE National
We went deep - from GPU rack density and site selection to modular design and capital strategies. A few standouts:
Densification is real - and relentless. As Ken Patchett said, we’re closing in on 1MW/rack. That’s a full-system rethink of power and thermal.
DC Power is gaining ground. Peter Gross broke down why AC-to-DC transitions (plus superconductors!) might finally be real.
Cooling goes hybrid. From chip-level air-to-liquid inside a single rack, to thermal diagrams becoming first-class citizens - Dr. Peter De Bock nailed it.
Moonshot thinking is here. Fusion power, hydrogen, and optical energy transmission — not hype. Roadmaps.
Missed the panel? Here’s the full recap from my LinkedIn.
2. 💰 Capital Is Reshaping Infrastructure
One of the most electric (pun intended) sessions was on capital strategy:
Project Finance is here to stay. $4B+ raised across a single portfolio? That’s not funding - that’s alignment.
Neo-hyperscalers are buying big. GPU-native companies are betting hard without traditional balance sheets.
Modular is now mandatory. In a world of labor shortages, inflation, and risk - prefab = peace of mind.
As one panelist put it:
“You don’t need 10 banks to believe in one project. You need 25 to believe in the portfolio.”
Let that sink in.
3. 🧠 Strategy Spotlight: Sustainable AI Infrastructure
📌 Read this now: The AI Data Center Boom - Strategies for Sustainable Growth
This piece nails the tension we’re all managing: scaling AI infrastructure without burning down the grid or the budget.
The takeaways?
AI isn’t just a workload. It’s now a thermal, spatial, and financial force multiplier.
Traditional design principles don’t cut it anymore.
We must bake in sustainability from day zero.
4. 🎥 In Case You Missed It…
Catch recent panels, recaps, and real talk from the front lines of AI infrastructure:
Let’s keep building. And scaling. And questioning everything. Until next time
Stay tuned, stay curious, and stay excited!
Best,
Bill Kleyman
CEO, Apolo
Program Chair, AFCOM Data Center World