According to the survey of 250 senior data centre decision-makers, 69% believe that US tariffs and global instability will drive up the cost and lengthen delivery timelines of AI-ready facilities.
Meanwhile 79% cite that the AI skill shortage as a significant threat to their ability to build, retrofit or upgrade data centres at the pace needed to meet demand.
The rapid growth of AI workloads is placing unprecedented strain on existing infrastructure, with 92% of operators reporting a 42% average rise in AI activity over the past year.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) say demand for AI-supporting capacity has exceeded expectations, stretching existing power, cooling, and space to the limit.
“The AI race is global, but protectionist policies are forcing operators to make cost-based decisions that will limit the quality of infrastructure they can deliver,” said Niklas Lindqvist at Onnec. “With AI evolving so fast, operators need to make sure data centres are built to last.”
The report warns that poor-quality cabling is a hidden weak link, with 70% of respondents saying it will compromise long-term AI-readiness.
Over a quarter (27%) flagged a shortage of skilled labour for cabling installation and maintenance, potentially reducing resilience and performance.
More than half (58%) believe AI will shorten the lifespan of today’s data centres, and 74% say they are now rethinking their strategies for power, cooling and site location.
Nearly a quarter (23%) cite supply chain disruption as a key concern, with high-density compute, cooling systems and specialised components facing delays.
“Coupled with a shortage of specialist engineers, operators may be forced to scale back or delay their ambitions,” Lindqvist added.
“Meeting these challenges and easing cost pressures will be key to ensuring AI infrastructure is built to support long-term needs.”
The study also found that 61% of operators had experienced costly redesigns due to siloed decision-making. Consequently, 70% now believe holistic design principles, encompassing every layer of the stack from cabling to cooling, are essential to future-proof AI-ready builds.
“AI is now the defining force in data centre strategy,” Lindqvist said. “But meeting that demand takes more than just scale, it takes foresight.”
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