AI expansion spans devices, DCs, and supply chains
From Hawaii to Washington, AI’s infrastructure story is broadening and deepening. At Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Sean Kinney reports how AI is being embedded directly into next-generation devices. Qualcomm executives emphasized that on-device processing is not just about speed and privacy, but also about enabling new user experiences — from more natural voice assistants to AI-powered photography and real-time translation. This push at the edge is mirrored in the data center, where Europe-based Nscale and Nokia are combining expertise to grow global AI capacity, pairing compute with secure networking to support increasingly demanding workloads. Meanwhile in the U.S., policymakers are exploring a 1:1 domestic production rule for semiconductors, part of a wider strategy to reduce dependence on overseas supply chains — though industry observers caution that such a mandate would be difficult to enforce. Taken together, these developments reflect how AI’s growth is no longer confined to a single layer of the stack: it stretches from consumer hardware to industrial infrastructure and national policy. More below!
Juan Pedro Tomas
Editor
RCRTech
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AI and the extension of voice: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit was about AI everywhere; getting AI everywhere means blending connectivity, compute and context into a seamless, multi-modal system — an ecosystem of you.
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Is a 1:1 chip production rule coming?: U.S. officials are reportedly considering a new rule that would require semiconductor firms to match imports with domestically-produced chips, a move that could be a boon for Intel.
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Project Jupiter launch: OpenAI and Oracle reveal $165B data center campus near El Paso, part of the Stargate initiative to expand AI compute infrastructure across the U.S.
Immersion cooling market: Global data center immersion cooling sector projected to grow from $1.81 billion in 2025 to $8.52 billion by 2034, driven by AI and high-performance computing demand.
Japan’s energy challenge: Rising AI workloads put pressure on Japan’s electricity grid, as data center expansion risks clashing with carbon-neutral goals and industrial competitiveness.
Asia’s AI hubs: Top AI data centers in Asia — including Alibaba, NTT DATA, Microsoft, SoftBank — combine high-performance GPUs, liquid cooling, and energy-efficient designs to meet soaring demand.
Microfluidic cooling breakthrough: Microsoft tests bio-inspired microfluidic system that reduces GPU temperature spikes by 65%, improving AI chip density, performance, and energy efficiency.
Alset AI referral pact: Vancouver-based Alset AI signs agreement with global AI infrastructure provider to expand Lyken.AI platform reach and support large-scale enterprise clients.
Digital Realty hydro deal: U.S. colocation giant secures 500GWh of hydropower from three Ohio and West Virginia projects to supply Virginia data centers with carbon-free energy.
Deloitte opens AI infra hub: Deloitte has launched a global AI Infrastructure Center of Excellence to support enterprises in building scalable, secure data centers, with investments in advanced computing, networking, and energy-efficient systems for AI workloads.