The role of data centers in the digital economy
WHAT ARE DATA CENTERS AND WHY ARE THEY CENTRAL TO THE DIGITAL ECONOMY
The beating heart of the global digital economy, data centers house servers, storage systems and network devices that enable the management of enormous volumes of information and complex services. They are the invisible infrastructure that allows businesses, institutions and citizens to access the cloud, artificial intelligence and communication platforms.
Their centrality goes far beyond technology: continuity, security and data sovereignty are now strategic elements for the competitiveness of production systems and the resilience of public and private services.
The report "Data Centers, Semiconductors and Communication" by Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center offers a clear overview of how data centers are becoming a decisive hub for the future of data, the economy and sustainability.
MARKET TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DATA CENTERS
The ever-increasing demand for data processing capacity is profoundly changing the technology sector. The evolution of data centers today focuses on three priorities: supporting digital development, ensuring data security and reducing energy impact.
This transformation is driven by three main factors:
- the rapid growth of artificial intelligence-based services
- the increasing need for faster local connections
- the decision to distribute data centers across multiple areas for reasons of efficiency, security and service continuity.
Today, the data center is no longer just a place to store information: it has become a point of delivery for advanced digital services, essential for applications such as industrial automation, the Internet of Things and real-time data analysis.
DATA CENTERS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The integration of artificial intelligence, automation and energy management systems also plays an important role. The use of tools such as digital twins and predictive controls makes it possible to optimise consumption, improve facility cooling and reduce operating costs.
In Europe, projects are emerging that integrate data centers into territorial energy systems, enabling heat recovery, grid balancing and renewable energy integration to support cities and industrial districts.
CHALLENGES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR THE SECTOR
In 2023, the sector exceeded $150 billion in global investment and is on track to exceed $450 billion by 2033. Although driven by the Asia-Pacific region, growth is also affecting Europe and North America, driven by specific needs: reducing latency in edge services, seeking cooler areas to reduce cooling consumption, positioning themselves close to renewable energy sources and responding to local demand for computing capacity.
The priority is clear: to reduce the energy impact of increasingly large infrastructures. The transition to sustainable models is moving along two lines:
- greater use of renewable energy, including through multi-year Power Purchase Agreements;
- adoption of digital technologies for efficiency, from sensors and automation to AI-based simulation models.
One particularly dynamic area of innovation concerns cooling systems, which account for a significant portion of overall energy consumption. This market was worth £7.5 billion in 2023 and is set to exceed £17 billion by 2032, thanks to liquid and modular solutions.
However, challenges remain: regulatory complexity, energy availability in different regions and a high concentration of the market in the hands of large hyperscale operators.
THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF DATA CENTERS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
In conclusion, overall, the sector is moving towards an integrated infrastructure model, in which processing, connectivity and energy management operate in synergy. Next-generation data centers are strategic hubs for the digital economy, enablers of advanced services and essential components for regional competitiveness.
For its part, the Intesa Sanpaolo Group has adopted a holistic and strategic approach that integrates responsible innovation, operational transparency and systemic security, while ensuring a central and active role for human supervision in AI-based solutions.
To learn more about data centers and other insights dedicated to cutting-edge innovation, visit the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center website.
1 Edge structures refer to edge data centers: small/medium-sized computing and storage infrastructures distributed across the territory, located close to where data is generated or consumed (users, factories, cities, logistics hubs), rather than concentrated solely in large centralised data centers.