I N T E L L I G E N T T E C H N O L O G Y AI
Global data centre sector to nearly double to 200 GW amid AI infrastructure boom
The global data center sector is poised for continued unprecedented expansion, with capacity expected to nearly double from 103 GW to 200 GW by 2030, according to JLL’ s newly released 2026 Global Data Center Outlook. Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping the data centre landscape, and JLL anticipates AI workloads will represent half of all data centre capacity by 2030. Despite rapid growth, the fundamentals for the sector remain healthy and property metrics do not point to a bubble.
The explosive growth will require up to US $ 3 trillion in total investment over the next five years, including US $ 1.2 trillion in real estate asset value creation and approximately US $ 870 billion in new debt financing, marking an infrastructure investment supercycle.
“ We’ re witnessing the most significant transformation in data centre infrastructure since the original cloud migration,” said Matt Landek, Global Division President, Data Centres and Critical Environments at JLL.“ The sheer scale of demand is extraordinary. Hyperscalers are allocating US $ 1 trillion for data centre spend between 2024 and 2026 alone, while supply constraints and four-year grid connection delays are creating a perfect storm that’ s fundamentally reshaping how we approach development, energy sourcing and market strategy.”
AI workloads could represent 50 % of all data centre capacity by 2030, compared to approximately 25 % in 2025. JLL anticipates a critical inflection point in 2027 when AI inference workloads will overtake training as the dominant requirement.
“ We’ re witnessing the emergence of an entirely new infrastructure paradigm where AI training facilities demand 10x the power density and command 60 % lease rate premiums over traditional data centres,” said Andrew Batson, Global Head of Data Centre Research at JLL.“ Beyond the economics, AI has become a matter of national strategic importance, driving countries to develop domestic capabilities through sovereign infrastructure investments that represent an US $ 8 billion CapEx opportunity by 2030.”
AI chips are projected to grow their total revenue share from 20 % to 50 % of the semiconductor market by 2030, with custom silicon expected to capture 15 % market share as hyperscalers develop their own processors. The future could include emerging technologies like neuromorphic computing for ultraefficient inference tasks that could reduce infrastructure demands and enable data centres to be more power-efficient.
The Americas will maintain its position as the largest data centre region, representing about 50 % of global capacity and achieving the fastest growth rate through 2030. The Asia- Pacific region is projected to expand from 32 GW to 57 GW, while Europe, the Middle East and Africa will add 13 GW of new supply.
Each region faces distinct market dynamics that will shape development strategies. In APAC, co-location is leading growth, while on-premises capacity is projected to decline 6 % as enterprises continue cloud migration. EMEA’ s growth forecast is fuelled by strong demand from hyperscalers, with growth concentrated in established European hubs like London, Frankfurt and Paris, alongside emerging Middle Eastern markets pursuing Digital Transformation strategies. The US continues to drive most activity in the Americas, accounting for about 90 % of regional capacity. �
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