There is no “Zillow for data centers.” In a market defined by technical complexity, grid delays, and bespoke power needs, specialized brokers have become essential to closing large-scale site acquisitions and wholesale leases. Read more: www.datacenterknowledge.com/colocation/t...

The Role of Brokers in Accelerating Data Center Construction

Data center brokers bridge the gap between buyers and sellers, navigating a complex market to facilitate deals and drive industry expansion.

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“Today’s GPUs suck.” Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger slams current AI hardware, arguing that future breakthroughs hinge on solving massive power, memory, and infrastructure constraints – not just throwing more chips at the problem. Full report: www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

‘GPUs Suck’: Former Intel CEO Slams AI Hardware Limitations

At Ai4, Pat Gelsinger says AI’s future hinges on boosting power efficiency, infrastructure, and economics – not simply deploying more GPUs.

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🌐 New Data Center Developments: August 2026 🌐 Highlights from this month’s global roundup: • Meta’s $9B, 1 GW Alberta campus • OpenAI’s 3.2 GW Georgia project • Pure DC’s $1.7B Finland AI hub • AWS’s $21B buildout in India 🔗 www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

New Data Center Developments: August 2026

We look at some of the latest data center developments announced over the past month.

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As AI Expands to Orbit, Can Ground-to-Space Links Keep Pace? 🛰️ With AI workloads spreading across terrestrial and orbital compute, the atmosphere is emerging as the key bottleneck for moving data between ground and space. www.datacenterknowledge.com/next-gen-dat...

As AI Expands to Orbit, Can Ground-to-Space Links Keep Pace?

With AI workloads spreading across terrestrial and orbital compute, the atmosphere is emerging as the key bottleneck for moving data.

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered a statewide audit of all data center projects in ERCOT's queue, pausing its Batch Zero study. State regulators are now enforcing strict viability tests before granting grid access. Full story: www.datacenterknowledge.com/energy-power...

Texas Orders Statewide Audit of AI Data Center Projects

New directive signals tougher scrutiny of large-load interconnection as AI power demand accelerates.

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New: Samsung Heavy Industries has taken another step towards developing a fleet of floating data centers after signing an engineering contract with Mousterian Corporation, a Texas-based infrastructure developer. www.datacenterknowledge.com/next-gen-dat...

Samsung Takes Floating Data Center Plans Into Engineering Phase

Samsung’s floating data centers mark a potential shift toward maritime solutions to meet the rising demands of AI infrastructure.

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Data center protests signal a trust gap. Developers must engage communities early to align AI infrastructure with local needs, writes Decimal Digital CEO Roshan Shah. www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

Building Data Centers Requires Trust, Not Just Permits

Data center protests signal a trust gap. Developers must engage communities early to align AI infrastructure with local needs, writes Roshan Shah.

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PJM is proposing a new framework for connecting AI data centers and other large electricity users that would require many future campuses to secure enough generating capacity to support their demand or accept curtailments during shortages. www.datacenterknowledge.com/energy-power...

PJM’s IRAS Signals a New Era for AI Data Center Power

JM advances IRAS, requiring new AI-scale loads to secure capacity or accept curtailment; proposal heads to FERC amid tight capacity and rising demand.

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Uptime Institute’s 2026 survey shows AI raising costs and density while narrowing management focus, as operators hedge with phased builds and struggle to forecast capacity. Full story: www.datacenterknowledge.com/ai-data-cent...

AI Drives Data Center Uncertainty in Uptime’s 2026 Survey

Uptime’s 2026 survey shows rising AI pressure on costs and capacity, modal rack density at 11 kW, and slower progress on carbon accounting.

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Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta used their second-quarter earnings to signal a turning point in the AI infrastructure race. 📈 Read our full analysis: www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta Pivot from Buy to Build in AI

Q2 earnings show Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta shifting from capex to deployment – speed, power and networking now define AI capacity; Amazon next.

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New: A sweeping Virginia groundwater study concludes no location in the Coastal Plain could support a major new groundwater withdrawal under the state’s permitting standards, raising new questions for water-intensive data center development east of I-95. www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

Virginia Report Finds Groundwater Running Dry for Data Centers

No locations east of I-95 can support major new groundwater withdrawals under current Virginia permitting standards, officials say.

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The physical security envelope is officially moving to the skies. Reported attacks on AWS facilities highlight a stark reality: $50 drone threats can reach past traditional perimeters to disable billion-dollar data centers. Full story: www.datacenterknowledge.com/physical-sec...

Data Centers Under Fire: Are Counter-Drone Defenses Next?

Alleged attacks on AWS facilities have prompted security experts to question whether traditional data center perimeter defenses are still fit for purpose.

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Brookfield and NextEra Energy plan to transform part of the US Department of Energy’s former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky into one of the nation’s largest AI data center campuses. Full story: www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

Brookfield, NextEra Launch $100B AI Campus at DOE’s Kentucky Site

Brookfield and NextEra plan an AI data center campus at DOE’s Paducah site with on-site power, targeting 1.2 GW of compute and up to $100B investment.

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Amazon has urged Virginia regulators to allow hyperscale data center operators to voluntarily fund transmission infrastructure serving their campuses, opening a debate over who should pay for grid expansions needed to support AI. Read more: www.datacenterknowledge.com/energy-power...

Amazon Pushes Virginia to Let Data Centers Fund Grid Upgrades

Amazon urges Virginia regulators to let hyperscalers fund transmission via CIAC, igniting debate over who pays for AI grid growth in PJM.

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Nebraska has cut off state tax incentives for new data center projects. It’s the latest signal that the “incentives era” is yielding to grid realities – power and water access now dictate site selection far more than tax perks. www.datacenterknowledge.com/regulations/...

Nebraska Reins in Data Center Perks Amid Resource Scrutiny

Nebraska blocks incentives for new data centers, prioritizing grid and water resources as states rethink AI infrastructure growth.

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As grid delays stall full-capacity hookups, data center operators are turning to phased energization. Bringing facilities online in stages helps speed up ROI and manage power constraints – though voltage risks and complex forecasting remain challenges. www.datacenterknowledge.com/energy-power...

Phased Energization: Benefits and Challenges for Data Centers

Phased energization helps data centers navigate power constraints by energizing facilities in stages, but it’s not without limitations.

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Galaxy Digital's new 500-acre AI campus in McGregor, Texas, reflects a new grid model. To secure power, developers are now expected to privately fund substations and provide financial assurances before utilities build around them. www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

Galaxy’s 500-Acre Texas AI Data Center Reflects New Grid Model

The McGregor project pairs a 74 MW first phase with a privately funded substation and utility assurances, reflecting changing developer expectations.

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Regulatory filings reveal Georgia Power was evaluating a 3.2 GW load commitment months before OpenAI publicly announced Project Camellia. It’s a rare look at how multi-gigawatt AI campuses shape grid forecasts long before going public. Full story: www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

How Anonymized PSC Data Foretells OpenAI’s 3.2 GW Build

PSC filings show AI megacampuses like OpenAI’s 3.2 GW Camellia shaping Georgia Power’s grid planning months before public announcements.

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Texas is making AI data centers pay their fair share of grid costs. New rules aim to protect residents while balancing economic growth. Full story: www.datacenterknowledge.com/regulations/...

Texas Pushes AI Data Centers to Pay Their Own Grid Costs

PUCT outlines new interconnection rules, cost reforms and planning changes following Gov. Abbott’s order to protect ratepayers and the ERCOT grid.

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Even the fastest-growing sector in tech isn’t immune to job cuts. Intel has confirmed a fresh round of layoffs targeting its Data Center and AI Group – a paradox given the division posted solid revenue growth. Read more ➡️ www.datacenterknowledge.com/management/i...

Intel Layoffs Show Data Center Workers Aren’t Immune to Job Cuts

Despite booming demand for AI infrastructure, Intel’s layoffs highlight that no sector is safe from the wave of tech job cuts.

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After the AI Rush, Can Data Centers Reclaim Sustainability? Sustainability’s legacy was sidelined by AI growth and politics, but public scrutiny and hard economics are forcing a course correction. www.datacenterknowledge.com/sustainabili...

After the AI Rush, Can Data Centers Reclaim Sustainability?

Can data centers reclaim sustainability after the AI boom? How regulation, power limits, and water stewardship make efficiency business-critical.

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The DOE’s draft 2026 Transmission Needs Study confirms AI data centers are now the top driver of US grid expansion. Full story: www.datacenterknowledge.com/energy-power...

DOE: AI Data Centers Are Transforming America’s Transmission Map

A draft federal study concludes that AI data centers are now the dominant driver of electricity demand growth.

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AMD launched its Helios rack-scale AI platform to challenge Nvidia’s Vera Rubin dominance. Combining MI455X GPUs with new 6th-gen Epyc CPUs, Helios promises 50% more memory and better scale-out bandwidth for agentic AI workloads. www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

AMD Fires Back at Nvidia with Helios AI System, Epyc CPUs

AMD’s latest hardware innovations aim to reshape the AI infrastructure market, challenging Nvidia’s dominance and driving the next wave of AI adoption.

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Data center design is shifting from afterthought to strategic asset. To win over communities and tenants, developers are abandoning "ugly industrial boxes" for refined architecture, context-sensitive massing, and even public-facing civic spaces. www.datacenterknowledge.com/build-design...

Data Center Architects Reimagine Facilities as Urban Assets

Data center architecture is moving from afterthought to differentiator as operators court communities, tenants, and talent. Learn more about design trends.

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Community trust is now a core input to capacity. EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure’s Bill Jabjiniak shares insights on how developers can align projects with local priorities, focusing on culture, jobs, and long-term sustainability. 🔗 www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

How Data Centers Can Earn Trust Through Community Partnerships

To unlock capacity, data centers must earn community trust on culture, jobs, and sustainability with transparent plans and measurable commitments.

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A transmission line fault in Data Center Alley triggered a 3 GW load drop on the PJM grid within seconds. Hyperscale facilities' protection systems automatically transferred to backup power – causing a sudden demand drop with zero bulk power outages. www.datacenterknowledge.com/energy-power...

Exclusive: The White House has issued a sharp warning to PJM Interconnection, urging the nation’s largest grid operator to overhaul its board governance and stakeholder process “before it is too late.” www.datacenterknowledge.com/energy-power...

Exclusive: White House Warns PJM to Reform Grid Governance

Amid mounting pressure over rising AI power demand, the White House warns PJM Interconnection to overhaul its board or face potential regulatory fallout.

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Data center construction is now the most capacity-constrained sector globally, with 70%+ of markets overstretched and trade shortages driving cost hikes. Read more: www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

AI Data Center Boom Strains Global Construction Capacity

Data center construction is now the most capacity-constrained sector globally, driven by the rapid growth of AI infrastructure and labor shortages.

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A proposed $3.4B AI campus in Spain is advancing through regional permitting with an energy strategy that reflects a growing reality for AI infrastructure: developers are building around power constraints rather than waiting for the grid. Read more ➡️ www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

Spain’s $3.4B AI Campus Skips the Queue with On-Site Generation

The planned 300 MW AI campus in Spain would rank among Europe’s largest as developers pursue fast-track approval and an on-site power strategy.

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Finland is emerging as one of Europe’s fastest-growing data center markets for AI infrastructure. Driven by clean energy and available land, operators are moving north – though expanding pipelines mean energy competition expectations are now rising. www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-...

Finland’s Data Center Boom is Just Getting Started

Finland is emerging as one of Europe’s fastest-growing data center markets, driven by AI demand, abundant renewable energy, and favorable policies.

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