Why AI-ready data centres need more than computing power

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the world's digital infrastructure at a fast pace. As enterprises deploy increasingly complex AI models and process a large amount of real-time data, the demands placed on data centres are changing rapidly. Computing capacity alone is no longer enough. Operators must also address power consumption, cooling efficiency and infrastructure resilience while ensuring long-term sustainability.

According to Sumit Narayan, Head, Business Development & Key Account Management, Mitsubishi Electric India, AI is transforming the role of data centres from traditional computing facilities into critical digital infrastructure that targets the next phase of enterprise innovation.

"AI is transforming data centres from passive computing facilities into mission-critical digital infrastructure."

He noted that growing AI adoption is driving demand for high-density computing environments supported by resilient power systems, advanced cooling technologies and scalable infrastructure capable of supporting future workloads.

AI is redefining infrastructure requirements

Narayan believes AI is boosting investment in a new generation of data centres designed for performance, reliability and scalability rather than simply expanding computing capacity.

As organisations deploy larger AI models, infrastructure requirements are becoming significantly more demanding, requiring operators to rethink every aspect of facility design.

Referring to figures from theInternational Energy Agency (IEA), he pointed out that global data centres consumed around 415 TWh of electricity in 2024, with demand expected to more than double by 2030 as AI adoption continues to expand.

"India has a strong opportunity to build future-ready digital infrastructure that supports innovation, strengthens its digital economy and enhances global competitiveness."

Sustainability is becoming a design principle

While AI is increasing demand for computational power, Narayan believes India's ambitions to become a global AI hub must be supported by infrastructure that balances performance with sustainability.

Renewable energy, supported by solar, wind and hybrid energy systems, will become increasingly important alongside technologies that improve operational efficiency.

He highlighted liquid cooling, AI-driven thermal management and intelligent energy management systems as critical technologies capable of reducing energy consumption while supporting higher computing densities.

Designing facilities around low Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), modular architecture and green building standards can further reduce environmental impact without compromising performance.

"Sustainability is no longer an operational consideration. It is becoming a core design principle for the next generation of AI-ready data centres."

Cooling has become one of the biggest engineering challenges

One of the most significant changes brought about by AI is the dramatic increase in heat generated by high-density GPU environments.

According to Narayan, AI deployments are now pushing rack power densities beyond 50 kW, making conventional air-cooling systems insufficient for many enterprise environments.

"Heat management has emerged as one of the defining engineering challenges for AI infrastructure."

As a result, liquid cooling is rapidly becoming the preferred option for supporting high-performance AI workloads.

Alongside liquid cooling, technologies such as AI-driven thermal management, intelligent airflow optimisation and heat reuse are helping operators improve efficiency while making productive use of waste heat across industrial and commercial facilities.

Integration across power, cooling and automation is becoming essential

Narayan believes successful AI-ready infrastructure depends on the integration of cooling, automation and power management rather than isolated technology deployments.

He explained that Mitsubishi Electric combines precision cooling, liquid cooling capabilities and hybrid cooling solutions for high-density computing environments with automation technologies including PLC and SCADA-based control systems.

These systems provide continuous monitoring and operational control while supporting efficient facility management.

The company also offers low-voltage power distribution and critical power solutions designed to optimise energy use, improve power quality and strengthen operational resilience.

"This integrated approach enables enterprises and data centre operators to build infrastructure that is efficient, reliable and ready to support evolving AI workloads."

Intelligent operations improve resilience and efficiency

As AI workloads become more demanding, Narayan believes every critical system within a data centre must operate intelligently.

Advanced cooling technologies help maintain optimal operating conditions while automation enables continuous monitoring and predictive maintenance, allowing operators to identify issues before they affect business operations.

At the same time, intelligent energy management improves power reliability, balances load distribution and supports uninterrupted performance across increasingly complex environments.

Together, these technologies create infrastructure capable of scaling AI workloads without compromising efficiency or operational continuity.

Digital infrastructure extends beyond AI

Although AI is driving current investment, Narayan believes India's digital infrastructure evolution will be shaped by several complementary technologies.

Edge computing will enable faster decision-making by processing data closer to where it is generated, particularly across manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and smart city deployments.

Industrial automation will continue improving operational productivity while smart buildings will use intelligent controls to optimise energy consumption.

Digital twins will strengthen infrastructure planning, predictive maintenance and asset lifecycle management through real-time monitoring and simulation.

According to Narayan, these technologies will collectively contribute to a more connected, efficient and resilient digital economy.

Partners will play a larger role in AI infrastructure

Narayan expects AI-driven investment to create significant opportunities across the entire digital infrastructure ecosystem.

System integrators will become increasingly important in designing high-density facilities that combine power, cooling, networking and automation into unified environments.

Channel partners will also play an expanding role by helping organisations deploy intelligent cooling, critical power and energy management solutions that improve operational efficiency while supporting sustainability objectives.

He believes demand will continue growing for expertise in renewable energy integration, battery storage and energy optimisation, alongside managed services, predictive maintenance and lifecycle management that maximise infrastructure performance over time.

Building a stronger ecosystem for AI-ready infrastructure

To support this transition, Narayan said Mitsubishi Electric continues investing in partner enablement through technical training, solution support and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

As AI infrastructure becomes increasingly sophisticated, partners will require stronger expertise across intelligent cooling, automation, power management and system integration.

He believes the most successful partners will be those capable of combining technical expertise with lifecycle support, energy optimisation and digital services that deliver long-term customer value.

The future of AI infrastructure will be defined by efficiency

Sumit Narayan's perspective highlights an important shift in the evolution of digital infrastructure. AI is certainly increasing demand for computing power, but future-ready data centres will be defined just as much by their ability to manage energy, cooling and operational resilience. As India expands its AI ecosystem, intelligent infrastructure that integrates automation, efficient cooling and sustainable power management will become essential. For system integrators and channel partners, the opportunity extends well beyond deployment towards delivering lifecycle services that help organisations build resilient, energy-efficient AI-ready data centres capable of supporting the country's long-term digital ambitions.

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