07 October 2025

David Pownall, Vice President, Services, Schneider Electric UK and Ireland

In a world driven by technology, data centres act as the backbone of our information infrastructure. With AI’s capabilities growing by the day, and its integration into every aspect of industry growing exponentially, it’s no surprise that in order to keep up with accelerated demand, data centres are projected to require $6.7 trillion capex worldwide by 2030.

In order to power everything from our cloud services to social media feeds, we not only need investment in data centre infrastructure, but also investment into technologies to manage and monitor their energy consumption.

Consuming significant amounts of energy and resources, data centres must integrate sustainability, from design to operation, to ensure operational resilience is up and environmental impact is kept down. Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are two technologies that are set to create more efficient and sustainable data centres in 2025.

Anticipating the scale

A whopping 40 billion devices are projected to be connected to the IoT by 2030. In the face of this demand, resilient datacentres will become strategic imperatives, particularly as AI becomes part of day-to-day business operations.

In fact, three-quarters of data centres currently face increased pressure from AI-driven demands, with only three-in-ten decision makers believing that they are doing enough to enhance the energy efficiency of data centres.

With hypergrowth on the horizon, data centre operators will need new and innovative ways to manage the surge in new devices, ensuring electrical assets are dependable to minimise unplanned downtime.

Keeping cool under pressure

It is imperative that AI data centre growth is decoupled from the environmental impact. For this to be accomplished, low carbon energy sources need to be utilised, new flexible and efficient AI-ready data centre designs must be developed, and sustainable business practices must be put into place. Traditional power and cooling optimisation technologies will need to evolve if they are to support the demands of higher density racks, which accommodate even greater amounts of computing power.

Technologies such as liquid cooling, software-based cooling optimisation, and advanced airflow management are becoming increasingly popular, making it possible to maintain optimal temperatures whilst consuming less energy. With proper airflow management, operators can ensure that cool air is distributed evenly throughout the data centre, preventing hot spots and improving overall cooling efficiency.

Predicting the future is now plausible

It’s true that artificial intelligence itself is creating increased demand for data centre infrastructure. However, it could also hold the key to unlocking energy efficiency gains when it is integrated into data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) software, thanks to predictive monitoring and maintenance capabilities.
When AI is integrated within an infrastructure management system, it collects and analyses data from thousands of sensors, monitoring variables such as temperature, humidity, server loads, airflow, and energy consumption. AI can also learn from external data sources, such as weather data. Instead of controlling cooling based on a fixed schedule, AI aggregates past data and predicted future insights to make adjustments in real time.

This is a gamechanger for data centre operators looking to optimise their resources and prevent existing parts from overheating if a sudden shift in weather, such as a heatwave, occurs. With tools that track energy usage, temperature, and performance metrics around the clock, operators can confidently allocate resources, as well as identify potential areas to optimise energy use.

AI & automation: forecast blue skies ahead

Along with anticipating shifts in temperature, AI algorithms can forecast hardware failures and schedule maintenance before issues snowball, reducing downtime and waste resulting from burnt out parts. By switching to a more proactive approach, operators can keep equipment performant for longer periods of time, prolonging its lifespan and dependability. Proactive asset management is already proving its worth, with some sites reporting reductions in critical asset failure by up to 60%, with maintenance visits only required every five years instead of every three.

AI technologies are also making a significant difference for data centre operators by automating tedious manual tasks, including backup management, load balancing and system updates. Delegating these tasks to AI not only reduces the margin for human error: it also enables operators to focus their energy on more strategic activities which require a more discerning human eye.

AI is also advancing data centre security through tools such as remote management. By deploying cloud-based AI tools, operators can gain visibility across several sites at once: an especially valuable tool for teams working across hybrid environments. These tools offer operators automated alerting should performance deviate from an agreed baseline. Automated alerting not only reduces the likelihood of human error; it also acts as the ‘eyes and ears’ for data centre operators at any time of day, anywhere. Operators are informed at speed when potential security or equipment issues do arise, so any system vulnerabilities can be addressed in good time, before they impact end-users and services.

A resilient future awaits

The pressure on data centres to deliver sustainable, resilient, and efficient operations will only intensify in the years ahead. To meet these demands, operators can consider AI-driven infrastructure management tools. Remote monitoring, intelligent cooling, and predictive maintenance will all be essential in ensuring consistent, reliable performance as demand continues to soar. Keeping systems online and fully functional is critical as industries become increasingly reliant on digital technologies. By harnessing AI’s full potential, data centre operators can strike the crucial balance between meeting growing demand and minimising environmental impact, paving the way for a successful digital future.