Coming out of 2025, AI data center development remains defined by momentum. But momentum is not the same as certainty.
Behind the headlines, operators, investors, utilities, and policymakers are all testing the assumptions that carried projects forward over the past two years, from power availability and capital conditions to architecture choices and community response. Some will hold. Others may not.
To open our 2026 industry polling, we’re taking a closer look at which pillars of AI data center growth are under the most pressure. What assumption about AI data center growth feels most fragile right now?
About the Author
Matt Vincent
A B2B technology journalist and editor with more than two decades of experience, Matt Vincent is Editor in Chief of Data Center Frontier.
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