Beyond the Chip: Rewiring Data Center Supply Chains

The discussion centers on innovations and supply chain adaptations within data centers driven by the demands of AI, particularly focusing on cooling and electrical equipment. Liquid cooling is highlighted as a foundational technology for AI data centers, offering potential water and energy savings, with distinctions drawn between direct-to-chip and immersion methods. Electrical equipment innovations, like those from VEIR and DG Matrix, address challenges in power density and stranded power, emphasizing the importance of speed to power for new data center projects. The panel also explores the influence of NVIDIA's technology on data center design, debating the practicality of running chips at higher temperatures without chillers and the implications for component reliability and capital markets.