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The Data Center of the Future

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What could data centres look like in 2055?

AI, sustainability, and sovereignty are redefining infrastructure in the AI era across EMEA. Lenovo’s latest research reveals what IT leaders expect next, and how to build smarter, more efficient data centres today.

Conducted in partnership with Opinium, the Data Centre of the Future study identifies the key factors shaping the future design, technology, and location of infrastructure across the region.

The results confirm: the time to rethink your data center design, is now.

45%

of IT decision-makers say their current data center design doesn't support sustainability goals

90%

of IT decision-makers believe AI will significantly increase organizational data usage

99%

of IT and C-level decision makers say data sovereignty will be important to how data is collected

What’s driving the change?

From powering AI workloads efficiently to meeting urgent sustainability and compliance demands, the research* shows traditional data center designs are falling short, with many IT leaders admitting their current infrastructure does not support energy or carbon-reduction goals.

Here’s what IT leaders told us:

– Sustainability Gap: Traditional data centers in EMEA are not fit for purpose when it comes to sustainability. 45% of IT leaders say their current infrastructure doesn’t support their sustainability goals, as AI and automation increase energy demands.

– Data Sovereignty: Control is critical to competitiveness. 88% of IT decision-makers are already viewing data sovereignty as a priority and nearly 99% expect it to remain important over the next five years

– Low Latency: Speed is an ongoing concern. 94% cite low latency as a top requirement today and in the years ahead, driven by the growth of real-time applications and edge computing.

– AI Infrastructure Readiness: AI is outpacing the infrastructure needed to power it. 90% expect AI to drive massive data growth, and 62% expect AI and automation to have the greatest impact on IT strategy. However, fewer than half (41%) feel ready to integrate AI effectively.

– Partnership: Selecting a vendor and partner that can provide tangible impact is key. 92% of IT decision-makers prioritize technology partners who reduce energy use and carbon footprint.

*Fieldwork conducted in August 2025, surveyed 250 IT decision makers in companies of 250 employees or more in Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, the UK and UAE.

The data center of the future will be defined by how effectively it can scale for AI, deliver on sustainability targets, and operate with maximum energy efficiency. As demand for compute accelerates, customers will increasingly look to infrastructure partners who can deliver performance without compromise, and who take responsibility for reducing environmental impact.

Simone Larsson, Head of Enterprise AI, EMEA at Lenovo

Imagining the Data Center of the Future

Lenovo worked with engineering firm AKT II and architects Mamou-Mani to consider how data centers could look in 30 years.

The brief: push the limits of what’s possible today – ignore constraints around space, materials or construction complexity – while treating sustainability, data sovereignty, security and latency as critical design imperatives.

The concepts take the rack server data center model and leverage water cooling technology to boost their sustainability, while also making use of natural resources, disused spaces and unexpected locations to solve the challenges and meet needs of their users. These AI-generated images** offer a glimpse of how data center facilities could be reshaped in new and exciting ways.

CONCEPT 1

The Floating Cloud

This airborne data centre concept floats at 20–30 km altitude, safely above commercial airspace, powered by continuous solar energy and cooled using pressurised closed-loop liquid systems to prevent pollution. Its modular design enables feasibility and offers natural stratospheric cooling, zero land impact, and resilience against disasters. However, it faces potential challenges with airspace regulations, maintenance, scalability, data sovereignty, and latency.

CONCEPT 2

The Data Village

The Data Village is a modular, city-integrated data centre concept positioned near rivers or canals to enhance liquid cooling and enable efficient waste-heat reuse - powering local buildings like schools or homes. Its close proximity to urban users also reduces latency and supports edge computing. While the design scores highly on sustainability and performance, its open, distributed layout introduces potential challenges in physical security, maintenance, and data governance that would require careful management.

CONCEPT 3

A Data Spa

Building on the Data Village is the Data Spa, a biophilic data centre concept that integrates into natural landscapes - such as valleys, lagoons, or...