Microsoft intends to invest approximately $80 billion in fiscal 2025 building out AI-enabled data centers to train AI models and deploy AI and cloud-based applications globally, the company announced in a recent blog post.
More than half of this total investment will be in the United States, which Microsoft says reflects their “commitment to this country and our confidence in the American economy.”
“As we look into the future, it’s clear that artificial intelligence is poised to become a world-changing GPT (General-Purpose Technology),” Microsoft’s Vice Chair & President, Brad Smith, wrote in the blog post. “AI promises to drive innovation and boost productivity in every sector of the economy. The United States is poised to stand at the forefront of this new technology wave, especially if it doubles down on its strengths and effectively partners internationally.”
Smith said that Microsoft sees a three-part vision for America’s technology success. He said it starts with advances and investments in world-leading American AI technology and infrastructure, but that the U.S. also needs to champion skilling programs that will enable widespread AI adoption and enhanced career opportunities across the economy and focus on exporting American AI to ally countries to bolster the domestic economy and ensure that other countries benefit from AI advancements.
“…Achieving this vision will require a partnership that unites leaders from government, the private sector, and the country’s educational and non-profit institutions,” Smith wrote. “At Microsoft, we are excited to take part in this journey.”
Microsoft is the primary investor in startup tech company OpenAI, which kicked off an artificial intelligence arms race when it launched ChatGPT in 2022.
The tech giant has invested billions of dollars into the startup – and billions more into enhancing its own AI infrastructure, including a network of data centers designed to support this technology.
These data centers provide the crucial computing power required by AI.
The U.S. is home to more data centers than any other country on Earth. There were 5,381 data centers operating in the U.S. as of March 2024 – 4,860 more than Germany, the country home to the second-most data centers in the world.
The demand for larger, more powerful data centers is driving advancements in construction and design. As highlighted in a recent Propmodo article, energy needs for new data centers are surging alongside increased investment in their development. Fueled by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence technologies, tech giants like Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon Web Services are pushing energy grids to their limits.
“Hyperscale data centers have grown over the past several years from dozens of megawatts to hundreds, and some tech firms are looking for sites to power more than a gigawatt of capacity,” wrote Propmodo’s Nick Pipitone. “To put that into perspective, one gigawatt is sufficient to provide a full year of energy to about 900,000 households, about the size of a major U.S. city.”
Data centers accounted for 19 gigawatts of power usage in the U.S. in 2023, and that’s expected to climb to 25 gigawatts by 2026 – about 6% of the country’s power usage.
Tech firms and their data center developers are getting creative to solve their power and cooling problems, including exploring nuclear solutions.
GPRS helps ensure data centers stay on schedule by offering a full range of services for subsurface damage prevention, existing conditions documentation, and construction and facility project management.
Our services include concrete scanning, utility locating, video pipe inspection, and leak detection — crucial for preventing subsurface damage during excavation or when drilling and cutting through concrete. We employ advanced technologies such as ground penetrating radar (GPR), electromagnetic (EM) locating, and remotely operated sewer pipe inspection rovers. Our SIM and NASSCO-certified Project Managers (PMs) provide detailed insights into your site’s subsurface structures.
For precise above-ground documentation and to capture our PMs’ findings, our 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry services deliver data accurate to 2-4 mm, supporting project design as well as future operations and maintenance (O&M) efforts. Our Mapping & Modeling Department can customize this data into any format or software as needed.
SiteMap® (patent pending), our cloud-based platform for project and facility management, provides 24/7 access to this field-verified data, improving asset protection and team collaboration.
With SiteMap®, you and your team can securely access and share critical data from any computer, tablet, or mobile device, ensuring smooth, real-time collaboration anytime, anywhere.
From skyscrapers to sewer lines, GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Built World® to keep you on time, on budget, and safe.
What can we help you visualize?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Benefits of Underground Utility Mapping?
Having an updated and accurate map of your subsurface infrastructure reduces accidents, budget overruns, change orders, and project downtime caused by dangerous and costly subsurface damage.
Can GPRS locate PVC piping and other non-conductive buried utilities?
GPR scanning is exceptionally effective at locating all types of subsurface materials. There are times when PVC pipes do not provide an adequate signal to ground penetrating radar equipment and can’t be properly located by traditional methods. However, GPRS Project Managers are expertly trained at multiple methods of utility locating.
