AI factories: Redefining data centers for the future – News

Artificial intelligence isn’t just a workload anymore — it’s redefining the very shape of digital infrastructure. The rise of AI factories is accelerating a shift toward large scale systems of compute- and GPU-dense clusters that demand reimagined storage, networking and energy strategies at global scale.

The AI Factories – Data Centers of the Future event, presented by theCUBE and NYSE Wired, explores how enterprises are rethinking the data center as the foundation for AI-driven business. Analysts and industry leaders will examine the convergence of technological breakthroughs, companies and market forces shaping this transformation.

“The unit of competition is no longer the chip; it’s the AI factory,” said Dave Vellante, chief analyst at theCUBE Research. “Whoever can deliver the most tokens per watt, at the highest utilization, wins the next decade of computing.”

TheCUBE’s event coverage will bring together executives and technologists to map the contours of this shift. Expect deep dives into the GPU supply chain, hyperscale data center redesigns, use cases and the economic calculus behind sustainable growth. TheCUBE’s coverage offers real-time perspectives from the people building this next chapter of AI infrastructure.

AI factories: Forces reshaping infrastructure

The AI factory model reflects a clear market pivot: Enterprises are no longer treating GPUs and accelerators as niche assets, but as the beating heart of AI-driven operations. This transition parallels historic shifts such as the adoption of cloud-native architectures — only faster and with higher stakes. The buildout of GPU-dense clusters, liquid cooling and low-latency fabrics is becoming a defining metric of digital competitiveness.

“In the span of just a few years, the world of computing has undergone a massive shift,” said John Furrier, executive analyst at theCUBE Research. “What was once a marketplace dominated by general-purpose servers and monolithic datacenters has fractured into a complex ecosystem of specialized accelerators, hyper‐scaled clusters, edge-enabled devices, large scale cloud providers and sovereign‐cloud platforms.”

As this new model takes hold, the competitive landscape is being reshaped by the vendors best positioned to deliver on it — from chipmakers setting the pace of innovation to system providers redefining how enterprises deploy AI at scale.

The push to dominate the AI factory landscape has brought several companies to the forefront. Nvidia Corp. has cemented itself as the central player in this ecosystem, driving GPU innovation and pushing interconnect standards, such as NVLink and Spectrum-X. Dell Technologies Inc. has staked its position on delivering end-to-end systems optimized for AI workloads, pairing servers, storage and networking with enterprise service models.

“We’re entering a multi-trillion dollar data center supercycle,” Vellante said. “These aren’t traditional server farms; they’re AI factories built for reasoning workloads, liquid cooling and fabrics so tight they turn networks from a cost center into a profit lever.”

Other market contenders, including hyperscalers, Super Micro Computer Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. and Intel Corp., are also racing to capture share by tailoring modular, AI-ready designs. The resulting landscape is one of rapid specialization — where integration, power efficiency and multicloud connectivity are critical differentiators.

AI factories are not just technical achievements; they represent a recalibration of the enterprise balance sheet. Building them means tackling skyrocketing energy demands, carbon targets and the economics of high-performance compute as a service. The winners will be those who treat infrastructure as a production system — one where every watt, workload and workflow is tuned for efficiency and resilience.

“The cloud is no longer the default destination for every workload,” Vellante said. “Regulated industries and enterprises with data gravity are building on-prem AI factories. Hybrid is becoming the design center for the next wave of value creation.”

TheCUBE event livestream

Don’t miss theCUBE + NYSE Wired’s coverage of the AI Factories – Data Centers of the Future event on Sept. 26. Plus, you can watch theCUBE’s event coverage on-demand after the event.

How to watch theCUBE interviews

We offer you various ways to watch theCUBE’s coverage of the AI Factories – Data Centers of the Future event, including theCUBE’s dedicated website and YouTube channel. You can also get all the coverage from this year’s events on News.

TheCUBE podcasts

News’s “theCUBE Pod” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube, which you can enjoy while on the go. During each podcast, News’s John Furrier and Dave Vellante unpack the biggest trends in enterprise tech — from AI and cloud to regulation and workplace culture — with exclusive context and analysis.

News also produces our weekly “Breaking Analysis” program, where Dave Vellante examines the top stories in enterprise tech, combining insights from theCUBE with spending data from Enterprise Technology Research, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Guests

During the AI Factories – Data Centers of the Future event event, theCUBE analysts will talk with industry experts from Dell, Nvidia, Cloudera, Cerebras Systems, Lambda, Starburst, Celestial AI and more about how AI factories are driving new architectures, redefined supply chains and enterprise strategies for scaling compute, storage and networking in the era of AI-driven business.

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