Vertiv predicts 2025 data centre revolution

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform the data centre landscape. Vertiv, a leading provider of digital infrastructure solutions, has outlined key trends for 2025.

These include advancements in high-density computing, intensified focus on sustainability, regulatory attention on AI applications, and evolving cybersecurity strategies.

Vertiv’s CEO, Giordano (Gio) Albertazzi, emphasised the accuracy of their 2024 predictions about AI’s impact on cooling strategies. “With AI driving rack densities into three- and four-digit kWs, the need for advanced and scalable solutions to power and cool those racks, minimise their environmental footprint, and empower these emerging AI Factories has never been higher,” Albertazzi said. “We anticipate significant progress on that front in 2025, and our customers demand it.”

Power and cooling innovations

The industry is adapting to challenges posed by compute-intensive workloads. As AI shifts reliance from CPUs to GPUs, power and cooling systems face mounting pressure. According to Vertiv, “Advanced computing will continue to shift from CPU to GPU to leverage the latter’s parallel computing power and the higher thermal design point of modern chips.” Technologies like cold-plate and immersion cooling are set to manage these demands, while factory-integrated solutions, such as liquid cooling, aim to improve efficiency and deployment speed.

Energy Efficiency Under Scrutiny

Data centres, which currently consume 1-2% of global power, could see usage rise to 3-4% by 2030 due to AI growth. This drives the need for sustainable practices. “These pressures are forcing organisations to prioritise energy efficiency and sustainability even more than they have in the past,” noted Vertiv. The trend toward microgrids, fuel cells, and modular reactors is accelerating, addressing energy availability challenges and regulatory demands.

Collaboration and AI Factories

As AI Factory racks approach unprecedented densities of 500-1000kW, collaboration among stakeholders—chipmakers, utilities, and infrastructure providers—is becoming essential. “Chip developers, customers, power and cooling infrastructure manufacturers, utilities and other industry stakeholders will increasingly partner to develop and support transparent roadmaps to enable AI adoption,” said Vertiv. AI-driven tools are also expediting engineering and manufacturing processes, promoting true integration of IT and infrastructure.

Cybersecurity and AI

AI’s rise is enabling both sophisticated cyberattacks and advanced defenses. Vertiv reported that “one-third of all attacks last year involved some form of ransomware or extortion,” with bad actors using AI tools to exploit connected infrastructure. To counter these threats, cybersecurity experts are deploying AI-based defense systems. “While the fundamentals and best practices of defense in depth and extreme diligence remain the same, the shifting nature, source and frequency of attacks add nuance to modern cybersecurity efforts,” Vertiv explained.

Regulatory Developments

Governments are ramping up AI governance efforts. “The trend toward sovereign AI—a nation’s control or influence over the development, deployment and regulation of AI—is a focus of The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act and China’s Cybersecurity Law,” noted Vertiv. By 2025, regulations may extend to AI applications and data center energy usage, with localised frameworks varying in enforcement consistency.

Vertiv’s insights highlight the profound impact AI is having on the data centre industry, shaping innovations, sustainability practices, and regulatory landscapes for the future.