Last year marked an inflection point for data centers. Artificial intelligence-driven development made the sector a primary engine of U.S. economic growth, turned the industry into a political issue and fundamentally changed how construction is financed.
If 2025 was the year data centers became unavoidable, 2026 may be the year that the future of the sector’s AI boom cycle comes into clearer focus.
More than 25 leaders from across the data center industry told Bisnow about their predictions for the trends, changes and challenges that will shape the data center landscape in the year ahead. While the details revealed in their crystal balls varied, common themes emerged about the industry’s future.
