Global Data Center Investment Projected to Reach $1.1 Trillion

Global annual investment in data centers is projected to rise from $560 billion in 2025 to $1.1 trillion by 2030, according to the PwC Global Data Centre Outlook. Total development costs between 2026 and 2050 are estimated at $31.6 trillion, a figure that could climb to $50 trillion if artificial intelligence adoption accelerates. The United States is expected to attract nearly half of this investment, while Europe is projected to secure approximately 18%.

To capture this growth, the European Commission launched a funding program in July to develop seven AI Gigafactory data centers across the EU, aiming to mobilize $30 billion. Gabriel Voicilă of PwC Romania characterized the current AI infrastructure build-out as the largest investment cycle in history, surpassing the scale of previous railway and electricity grid developments.

In Asia, Bahlil Lahadalia, Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Minister, urged investors to establish large-scale facilities in Indonesia during the Electricity Connect 2026 conference. Lahadalia highlighted the country's clean energy potential in solar, hydropower, geothermal, and wind to lower production costs. The Indonesian government is offering fiscal incentives and has tasked the state utility firm PT PLN with scaling power capacity to meet demand. Indonesia's data center market is expected to grow from $1.83 billion in 2026 to $3.48 billion by 2031.