I N T E L L I G E N T T E C H N O L O G Y SUSTAINABILITY
Traditional data centres‘ not fit for purpose’ say half of EMEA IT leaders, as AI and energy pressures collide
Data centre design must evolve to future-proof businesses across EMEA, new research commissioned by Lenovo reveals. From powering AI workloads efficiently to meeting urgent sustainability and compliance demands, traditional data centre designs are falling short, with nearly half( 45 %) of IT leaders admitting their current infrastructure does not support energy or carbon-reduction goals.
At the same time, an overwhelming 99 % of IT and C-level decision-makers in the region say data sovereignty will be important to how data is collected, stored and processed in the years ahead. And while AI continues to accelerate data usage across industries, many organisations are still struggling to implement the technology effectively or power it sustainably, highlighting the growing gap between digital ambition and infrastructure reality.
Lenovo undertook the Data Center of the Future study, in partnership with Opinium, to provide a blueprint for the key factors influencing the future design, technology and location of data centres. It comes as the data centre market grows, and energy usage, sustainability and costs become critical considerations for IT decision-makers in EMEA.
Sustainability readiness gap requires new approach
Ninety-two percent of IT decision-makers prioritise technology partners which reduce energy use and carbon footprint, yet only
46 % say their current data centre design supports sustainability goals. This gap underscores the growing environmental pressures of AI, automation and exponential data growth, with traditional cooling systems( such as air cooling) struggling to balance efficiency, cost and carbon reduction.
Data sovereignty important for 99 %
With 88 % of IT decision-makers already viewing data sovereignty as a priority and nearly 99 % expecting it to remain important over the next five years, it’ s clear that compliance and control over where data resides will define future data centre design. At the same time, 94 % highlight low latency as a key requirement today and in the years ahead, driven by the growth of real-time applications and Edge computing.
Powering AI at scale to define data centre future
Ninety percent of IT decision-makers believe AI will significantly increase organisational data usage in the next decade, and 62 % expect AI and automation to have the greatest impact on IT strategy. Yet despite the promise, 41 % admit their organisation is not prepared to integrate AI efficiently.
“ The data centre of the future will be defined by how effectively it can scale for AI, deliver on sustainability targets and operate with maximum energy efficiency,” said Simone Larsson, Head of Enterprise AI, EMEA at Lenovo.“ As demand for compute accelerates, customers will increasingly look to infrastructure partners who can deliver performance without compromise and who take responsibility for reducing environmental impact.
“ In EMEA, data sovereignty stands out as a particularly urgent priority, shaped by complex regional regulations and heightened scrutiny from CIOs and C-suites alike. Businesses must act now to align their infrastructure with these rising expectations, because preparing for the future starts with the choices they make today.” �
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