AI in data centers: The next big innovation

Science fiction writers have been exploring the concept of artificial intelligence for decades, and when AI became a reality, it was greeted with questions, excitement, and ideas for how it could shape the future. While there may not be any artificial intelligences overseeing cities or military operations, AI has displayed some practical applications for the technological world. One of the most concrete examples of that is in the data center industry.

Data centers have been hubs for computer traffic since the 40s. The act of maintaining massive amounts of computer equipment is not an easy task, especially when you have a finite amount of staff with the expertise necessary to fix any issues that arise. Furthermore, when humans fix data center algorithms, it’s simply not possible for them to optimize the system perfectly. In contrast, a recent experiment at MIT showed that an AI designed for data centers was capable of finishing tasks 20 to 30 percent faster than most data centers.

The promise AI has shown could affect data center issues such as energy conservation, security, cooling, human workload management, and server optimization. An AI could address these challenges quickly and more efficiently than traditional data center management. In turn, this would mean lower costs for data centers and reduced downtime for their customers. Companies like Google have already turned to AI to control some of their data center functions, such as cooling. Therefore, it is crucial that people in the data center industry continue to monitor and cultivate the evolution of AI as a technology, so that they can better optimize their services.

This blog was submitted by Rack Alley. Their data center provides LA web hosting, dedicated servers, and colocation services.