In 2026 and the years that follow, AI workload growth will remain concentrated among organizations that can support high-density deployments, while power demands will strain aging grids, raise failure risks and increase carbon emissions. These pressures will force some operators to reassess resiliency strategies and reconsider whether — and how — to reach net-zero commitments. At the same time, AI automation in data centers will transition from pilot projects into operations, delivering measurable efficiency gains.

This 12-page executive summary is an excerpt of a much more detailed 24-page report available to Uptime Network and Uptime Intelligence customers.