PwC projects $31.6 trillion global data center spending by 2050

  • PwC projects $31.6 trillion in global data center spending through 2050, potentially rising to $50 trillion with faster AI adoption.
  • The United States is forecast to attract $15.1 trillion, while data centers could consume nearly 12% of U.S. electricity by 2030.
  • NERC projects North American peak demand will add more than 224 gigawatts over 10 years, as power access and grid delays constrain projects.

Global data center spending is projected to reach $31.6 trillion through 2050, with annual capital expenditure rising from roughly $800 billion this year to $1.8 trillion by mid-century, according to PwC's Global Data Centre Outlook, modeled by Oxford Economics across 46 countries and territories. Accelerated AI adoption could lift cumulative spending to $50 trillion, but power availability is emerging as the primary constraint, particularly in the United States. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab projects data centers will consume nearly 12% of U.S. electricity by 2030, while NERC's 2025 reliability assessment forecasts North American summer peak demand will increase by more than 224 gigawatts over the next decade, 69% above its prior projection. The United States is forecast to attract $15.1 trillion, followed by Asia Pacific at $8.2 trillion, Europe at $5.6 trillion, the Middle East at $1.1 trillion and Africa at $255 billion. PwC says continuing upgrades to chips and other ICT equipment will sustain spending beyond initial construction, with ICT equipment accounting for 93% of investment by 2050 compared with 70% today. Grid connections, generation, transmission, semiconductor access, policy certainty and community consent could determine which projects proceed. Tighter chip export controls could reduce cumulative investment to roughly $25.5 trillion before supply chains adapt, while community opposition halted or delayed at least 75 projects worth about $130 billion in the year's opening quarter.

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