DCW 2026 Sessions On-Demand

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming data centers from traditional IT environments into highly specialized AI factories built for extreme compute density, massive energy throughput, and global scale. As AI workloads accelerate, operators must rethink how infrastructure is designed, powered, cooled, and deployed. In this keynote, engineering leaders from Oracle, NVIDIA, and Google will share firsthand insights into how hyperscale organizations are building and operating the next generation of AI infrastructure. The discussion will explore the real-world engineering and business decisions behind modern AI data center design. From securing power in grid-constrained markets to supporting GPU-dense environments and deploying infrastructure faster than ever before, this session will provide a practical look at how leading organizations are scaling the facilities that power the AI economy.

The data center industry is changing faster than at any point in its history. Record-breaking demand from AI, unprecedented rack densities, new power constraints, and a global race to build capacity have completely rewritten what “Data Center 101” means in 2025 and 2026. This session brings newcomers and seasoned pros into the same room for a hands-on masterclass where we will design a modern data center together and unpack the fundamentals through the lens of today’s reality.

What does it take to plan cloud capacity when your workloads span continents and evolve by the hour? This panel compares real-world strategies from hyperscale end-users in AI, streaming, and enterprise SaaS. Panelists will walk through how workloads land in data centers—from initial demand signals to final deployment—and how their planning processes have scaled with automation, telemetry, and predictive modeling. Special attention will be given to GPU-intensive workloads which are reshaping density, cooling, and rack-level design. Attendees will leave with a comparative map of how leading operators balance agility, efficiency, and scale for first and 3rd party customers.

We can no longer have an AI conversation without it being a Data Center conversation; we can no longer have a Data Center conversation without it being an energy conversation. The single largest determinant of AI's future and of consumer and enterprise uptake is the ability of AI players to power their ambitions, with clean and abundant power. This panel will cover the promise of Nuclear power to fill that need- both from the perspective of what is available now (fission), what is in the immediate future (SMRs and fusion test plants), and when we can expect the real prize- commercially viable fusion at scale.

This Session will introduce a reference model and emerging standards for the data center as microgrid and present the fundamentals of controls and energy management for successful operation of Behind the Meter Power for data centers.

The discussion centers on embodied vs. operational impacts, vendor lock-in risks, commissioning pitfalls, and disclosure-ready KPIs that connect facilities teams to sustainability reporting. Attendees will leave with decision tools, sample RFP language, and a first-90-days checklist to de-risk AI-scale buildouts while cutting carbon, conserving water, and protecting time-to-capacity. We'll also cover governance and org design: who owns hydraulics, who owns power markets, and how to align incentives across design, construction, operations, and finance.

In this session, CyrusOne's SVP of Energy and Location Strategy Gene Alessandrini will explore how data centers are meeting the demand for 24/7 power generation, while building resilience into energy strategies. He will discuss how centers are navigating grid challenges, driving new models of energy procurement, deploying onsite generation, and leading sustainable integration to keep our digital-first world running. Attendees will also gain insights into the critical importance that partnerships with utilities and power companies play today as well as the evolving regulatory considerations, and the technologies shaping the future of energy resilience for the sector.

Enterprise data center operators need liquid cooling for many of the same reasons hyperscalers do, including growing AI workloads, higher rack densities, and the need for energy efficiency. But enterprise data centers can face different challenges, such as having to retrofit cooling into existing buildings, keep critical workloads running during the transition, and overcome long supply chain delays in a hyperscaler-dominated market. Hear from data center leaders at LinkedIn and Northwestern University on why they needed liquid cooling, how they designed for it, the challenges they faced, and how they ultimately succeeded.

Racks drawing 100+ kW, liquid cooling complexity, and global deployment demands are pushing operators to rethink infrastructure strategies. Prefabricated modular pods offer a solution for white space fit-out during site prep—delivering factory-built precision, integrated power and cooling, and rapid deployment capabilities that reduce on-site construction risks. Discover how prefabricated pods accelerate deployment, boost quality, and support the massive power and cooling demands of AI clusters, with clear guidance on liquid cooling design and scaling across multiple sites. Real world examples and practical frameworks will show you how to overcome today’s AI infrastructure challenges and help make data centers future ready.

Attendees will leave with concrete decision criteria—technical, financial, and regulatory—to evaluate clean-firm options for new builds and expansions, and tactics to work with utilities and communities to accelerate deployment without sacrificing uptime. The panel will provide a clear view of the challenges and opportunities in adopting various energy solutions for data centers, and how forward-looking operators and technology providers are working together to unlock clean, firm power at scale.

Supply chain disruptions and soaring costs are rewriting the rules of data center development. Industrial equipment—transformers, switchgear, generators, and gas turbines—now often come with 12–24 month lead times, threatening project timelines and budgets. This session dives into the procurement bottlenecks plaguing the industry and offers actionable strategies for mitigating risk through proactive sourcing, vendor diversification, early-stage planning, and demand forecasting. Whether you're a developer, operator, or equipment supplier, you'll gain valuable insights into how leading firms are adapting procurement strategies in a post-pandemic, high-demand world. The session will also explore new approaches in contracting and partnership models that align incentives and reduce delivery uncertainty.

Attendees will gain insight into how a strategic operator–technology leading partnership took a novel approach to power architecture across two 400 MW facilities in North Dakota — delivering a breakthrough design that saves rack space, reduces materials and labor, and enables faster, more energy-efficient deployment and scaling.