What it's like inside the data centers powering the AI boom
Summary
The article describes a tour inside a data center in Northern Virginia that helps power artificial intelligence (AI) systems. It explains how data centers use many servers, cooling equipment, and large amounts of electricity to run AI technologies. The article also discusses concerns about data centers’ energy use and secrecy.Key Facts
- The tour was at Digital Realty’s innovation lab in Northern Virginia, an area with many data centers.
- Digital Realty is one of the oldest companies managing data centers worldwide.
- Data centers contain racks of AI chips that produce a lot of heat, requiring extensive cooling systems.
- One AI server rack shown includes a gold-colored Nvidia system worth about $1 million.
- Data centers are often kept secret for security and competitive reasons, with some requiring non-disclosure agreements.
- Data centers need a lot of electricity and sometimes water, causing local resource concerns.
- The Digital Dulles campus could have up to 13 data centers with over $10 billion investment planned.
- Backup power is provided by about 40 diesel generators, which are used only in emergencies or tests.
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