Every time you open an app, start a video call, or simply search something on Google, you’re triggering something much bigger than you think: a colossal ecosystem of servers, cables, and extreme cooling systems. Behind every click, there’s a silent digital behemoth powering it all—data centers. And now, with artificial intelligence moving at full throttle, these digital giants are entering a whole new era.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t a tech explainer. You already know what a data center is. This is about understanding why they are now driving the next wave of business growth—and why you need to make infrastructure decisions today that will shape the next decade of your company.
At The Pineapple Corporation, we help companies like yours read the transformation map the way you’d read a lunar mission plan. And believe us—data centers are the launch pad.
The new temples of artificial intelligence
For years, data centers were seen as a technical necessity—places to “store data.” That mindset is outdated. Today, they’re the beating heart of cloud services, real-time operations, data-driven business models, and increasingly, artificial intelligence.
And when we say “beating heart,” we mean it. A modern data center can host over 5,000 servers running in parallel, consume as much power as a mid-sized city, and require millions of litres of water just to stay cool. They are, quite literally, information processing factories.
But it’s not just the scale—it’s the speed of evolution that matters. In 2023, global data center electricity usage doubled to 7.5 GW. Training a single AI model like ChatGPT can use over 80 kW per rack. This isn’t background infrastructure anymore. It’s a strategic asset—as important as your top talent.
A global race with local opportunities
The US leads with more than 5,000 data centers. Germany follows—barely—with 500. But the most striking stat is this: over 70% of the world’s internet traffic flows through a single stretch of land in Virginia, known as the “data center corridor.” That’s how concentrated the future of digital really is.
Now, you don’t need to cross the Atlantic to take part. Spain, for example, is rapidly becoming a major European tech hub. Regions like Aragón are attracting multi-billion euro investments from giants like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft. Why? A potent mix of local talent, energy availability, and a government that’s actively championing real innovation.
As Jorge Azcón, president of Aragón, put it: “These investments aren’t just for show.” They’re real, transformative, and delivering measurable impact. It’s the same thinking we apply at The Pineapple Corporation when building tech strategies designed to scale and deliver results.
The energy dilemma: the invisible battle
This tech expansion comes at a cost. Data center power bills are massive—and growing. In some parts of the US, electricity prices have doubled due to local demand. Water usage for cooling has soared over 250%.
So here’s the real question: is this model sustainable?
Enter the hyperscale data center. These next-gen facilities are purpose-built for AI-intensive workloads, with over 100 MW of power capacity and modular designs. The game-changer? They’re increasingly powered by renewable energy and cooled using high-efficiency liquid systems—reducing energy demand without compromising performance.
In Latin America, over 60% of data centers are already powered by renewables. Europe is quickly following suit.
At The Pineapple Corporation, we don’t just see green energy as an ethical move—it’s a competitive edge.
What does this mean for your business?
Everything.
If you’re running a company that’s serious about AI, automation, digital experience, or advanced analytics, you need to think about infrastructure scaling—now. Relying entirely on the public cloud might feel convenient today, but operational costs and vendor dependencies could become liabilities if not managed strategically.
What happens if your cloud provider starts prioritising higher-demand AI clients over you? Or if energy prices spike by 50% and those costs are passed on without warning?
Your company’s tech architecture must be built to anticipate this kind of volatility. That’s where we come in: we design hybrid, scalable, and sustainable systems that give you full control over your digital growth without compromising flexibility or financial stability.
Spain’s growing role in the European Big Data map
Let’s zoom back into Spain. Beyond Aragón, other regions are making bold moves. Valencia has just approved a €60 million data center project in Vara de Quart, with 100 direct jobs expected. Asturias, with its stable electrical grid and rich water resources, is quickly becoming a prime location for Big Data and high-compute operations.
This isn’t just digital geopolitics. It’s a real opportunity for mid- to large-sized companies to host critical infrastructure domestically, benefiting from tax incentives, competitive energy prices, and a tech ecosystem that’s accelerating fast.
At The Pineapple Corporation, we collaborate with global and local partners to facilitate this shift—because every infrastructure decision you make today will determine your market position tomorrow.
From data to disruption: AI as a business engine
Here’s a hard truth: 80% of companies claiming to “do AI” are still running isolated experiments with no strategic impact. Implementing AI isn’t about plugging in a few algorithms. It means rethinking your processes, data architecture, business models—and yes, the infrastructure that supports all of it.
In the next five years, over one-third of all data center energy consumption will be allocated to AI. Are you ready to compete in that environment?
From demand forecasting to real-time personalisation, from smart operations to predictive maintenance—AI needs serious compute power. If you don’t have that backbone, you’re operating at a disadvantage.
One final question before you move on
Are you building a future-ready business—or just surviving on yesterday’s infrastructure?
You don’t need a 200 MW hyperscale facility in Virginia. But you do need a clear strategy. You need to know when to scale, how to manage workloads, which technologies to adopt—and which to avoid. And most of all, you need a partner that understands tech and business.
At The Pineapple Corporation, we’ve helped leading companies make bold decisions at the right moment. Because that’s what separates visionaries from followers.
The next big disruption won’t be a new app. It’ll be invisible. It’ll be buried deep in server racks, cooled by advanced liquid systems, powered by gigawatts of energy. It’ll be called efficiency. It’ll be called resilience. It’ll be called infrastructure.
And you get to decide whether you’re part of it.
