In an increasingly interconnected world, artificial intelligence will be a driver of transformation for the data center industry in Latin America

Artificial intelligence (AI) stands as a powerful force redefining the way we interact with technology, and Latin America is part of that revolution. In this context, the data center industry, the backbone of digital infrastructure, is at an inflection point, where the implementation of AI promises to redefine its operations and efficiency. 

Data Centers are critical to driving the rapid adoption of digitalization, including artificial intelligence. However, it is important to consider the industry’s environmental impact and energy consumption. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) report, improvements in energy efficiency have helped control the growth in energy demand from data centers and data transmission networks, which currently demand about 1-1.5% of overall electricity use. 

One of the prominent applications of artificial intelligence in data centers is its ability to improve energy efficiency: implementing AI algorithms for real-time monitoring and adjustment can significantly reduce energy consumption, improving sustainability and reducing operating costs. 

Gartner predicts that by 2025, 50% of data center operators will adopt artificial intelligence, bots,  and machine learning to improve energy and operational efficiency^[1]. 

On the other hand, automation is another area where artificial intelligence is starting to make its mark in data centers. In fact, AI can be used to automate capacity planning, supported by historical data on resource demand. AI can also be applied to identify and anticipate errors and system failures, while enabling self-healing mechanisms or processes. This would not only contribute to reducing the risk of human error, improving the reliability and safety of operations.^[2] 

The implementation of AI in infrastructure management enables faster and more accurate decision-making, optimizing resource allocation and ensuring optimal performance at all times. This is especially important in an environment where the demand for data storage and processing capacity is experiencing exponential growth. 

These are some of the reasons why we say that artificial intelligence is advancing in shaping a more efficient and sustainable future for data centers in Latin America and the world. The statistics underscore the need for proactive adoption of AI to drive energy efficiency, automation, and innovation in data management. And because technology today requires scale and flexibility, having business partners that enable organizations to embrace this transformation in an agile and simple way will be better positioned to meet future challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities in an increasingly competitive market, whatever industry we look at.

^[1] EY and Gartner, 2022. https://www.ey.com/en_in/technology/how-ai-and-automation-make-data-centers-greener-and-more-sustainable

^[2] Venture Beat, 2023. https://venturebeat.com/data-infrastructure/ai-and-ml-the-new-frontier-for-data-center-innovation-and-optimization/

Author:
Nelson Fonseca
President, Data Centers
Cirion Technologies