By Jérôme Totel, Group Strategy & Innovation Director (Data4)
Artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing are profoundly transforming the global economy, accelerating the race for digital infrastructure. France and Europe as a whole are facing intense global competition, particularly from the United States and China, which dominate the sector.
It is crucial that Europe rises to the occasion to not fall further behind. But building genuine technological sovereignty means efforts must be made in three critical areas: strengthening communication networks; developing efficient and sustainable data centers; and adopting a collective strategy at European level.
Booming demand: a pressing need to plan ahead
Demand for computing power is growing exponentially. In France, the capacity of digital infrastructure is expected to increase fourfold by 2030, reaching 1.9 GW, of which 850 MW will be exclusively dedicated to AI. In the face of such pressure, operators need to accelerate the deployment of data centers and increase network capacities to ease the circulation of data.
The data center sector is rapidly changing and expanding, with annual growth reaching 30%. Such a surge in demand requires meticulous planning and increased rollout. The sector therefore needs to rethink its approach by developing its infrastructure for larger campuses and unprecedented operating scales – rising from 2 to 3 MW in 2015 to over 50 MW in the near future. The urban planning of data center premises is also an important consideration, to maximise efficiency and their integration into the local landscape.
AI and data center impact on the environment
With the rise in digital technology comes a major environmental challenge. The digital sector alone accounts for 4% of global CO2 emissions: 16% of that figure can be attributed to data centers. In light of this, it is imperative to reconcile technological development with environmental responsibility.
Energy optimisation is playing a key role in this transformation. Design improvements have reduced the energy consumption of data centers by 25% within 10 years, achieving optimal power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.2 to 1.3 in Europe today. Furthermore, innovative building materials are also helping to limit the carbon footprint. In collaboration with a leading Italian manufacturer of precast reinforced and prestressed concrete, Data4 has initiated a low-carbon concrete strategy that has reduced the carbon impact of each new building by 13%.
To go even further, the real-time monitoring of environmental performance is providing valuable benefits. Specific tools can be used to precisely measure the energy impact of infrastructure and optimise its management.
With demand for computing power steadily on the rise, the future of data centers will require an innovative and sustainable approach. Digital performance can no longer be dissociated from environmental issues, and the industry will need to combine innovation and responsibility to take up this challenge.
European fragmentation facing global behemoths
One of the main barriers to Europe’s competitiveness lies in its lack of coordination. Unlike the United States and China, which each depend on three major telecoms providers, Europe has around 100. This fragmentation is blocking the emergence of stakeholders capable of competing internationally.
The history of Airbus proves that European cooperation can lead to success. Rather than letting each country develop its own technological champions in isolation, there is an urgent need to rally the most promising companies, such as Mistral (France) and Aleph Alpha (Germany) in AI, and provide them with the conditions they need to compete with the global giants.
Expertise and talent: bridging the skills gap is a key strategic challenge
Digital infrastructure cannot be developed without massively investing in training and attracting talent. Over the past two years, operators, suppliers and customers alike have been fiercely competing to recruit skilled professionals.
The aim is no longer to simply attract talent. It is now necessary to structure the entire sector, by focusing on training, partnerships with schools and public initiatives. Building an efficient digital ecosystem requires the development of collective skills, guaranteeing a qualified workforce in Europe capable of meeting the technological challenges that lie ahead.
A watershed moment for Europe
Europe is at a crucial stage in its digital transformation. To avoid missing the boat, it needs to speed up the development of its infrastructure, adopt a collective strategy for competing with powerful nations and massively invest in innovation and talent.
The future of AI is being shaped today. If Europe does not equip itself with the necessary infrastructure soon, American data centers will capture demand – once that happens, relocating data to Europe will be incredibly difficult. The continent is faced with a unique opportunity to build strong digital sovereignty. But to do so, it must act now, with ambition and determination.
