AI boom drives data-centre dealmaking to record high, says report

Global data-centre dealmaking surged to a record high through November this year, driven by an insatiable demand for computing infrastructure to meet the boom in artificial intelligence usage. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy

Global data-centre dealmaking surged to a record high through November this year, driven by an insatiable demand for computing infrastructure to meet the boom in artificial intelligence usage.

Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence showed that there were more than 100 data centre transactions during the period, with the total value sitting just under US$61 billion.

Why it’s important

Interest in data centres has swelled this year as tech giants and AI hyperscalers have planned billions of dollars in spending to scale up infrastructure.

AI-related companies have powered much of the gains in U.S. stocks this year, but concerns over lofty valuations and debt-fueled spending have also sparked worries over how quickly corporates can turn the investments into profits.

By the numbers

Including M&As, asset sales and equity investments, data centre investments hit nearly $61 billion through the end of November, already surpassing 2024’s record high $60.81 billion.

Since 2019, data centre dealmaking in the U.S. and Canada totaled about $160 billion, with Asia-Pacific reaching nearly $40 billion and Europe $24.2 billion.

(Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)