In our latest survey of 400+ executives across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, one conclusion is clear: The pressures reshaping the global data center sector compounded. A year ago, we saw the fault lines forming. Now, they are deepening.
Demand visibility has worsened. Distress expectations have risen. Delays are now the industry's default assumption. Focusing on any individual problem, whether high voltage, low voltage, cooling, or labor, is like playing whack-a-mole. To counter these trends, the sector needs a fundamental, holistic coordination to move forward.
For investors, customers, operators, and infrastructure providers, the sentiment shifts in this year’s survey point to one of the most challenging periods in the sector’s history.
Take an early look at a few of the most significant findings
64%
of respondents have less than 12 months of demand visibility, up from 57% in 2025.
83%
of respondents expect data centers will require upgrades to cope with new silicon architectures.
64%
of respondents expect distressed situations to increase over the next 12-18 months, up from 61% in 2025.
66%
of data center projects are expected to face delays, rising to 85% in the Middle East.
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