Insight
The Next Constraint on AI Isn't Compute - It's Power
Compute supply is only one side of AI scale. Power availability and cooling design are becoming the defining enterprise constraint.
February 1, 2026
By Danny McGinniss
Why the Constraint Is Shifting
As AI workloads scale, energy density and thermal requirements are moving to the center of strategy.
Capacity Planning Must Include Physical Realities
- Power availability can become the pacing factor for AI expansion.
- Cooling architecture is now a strategic planning variable.
- Facility and infrastructure timelines can exceed business planning cycles.
Strategy Implications for Leadership Teams
Executives should evaluate AI growth plans against realistic power and cooling constraints, not only compute forecasts.
Near-Term Actions
- Integrate facilities and infrastructure leadership into AI planning governance.
- Build scenario plans for constrained and unconstrained power environments.
- Prioritize utilization optimization before net-new capacity expansion.
Closing Perspective
AI scale will be defined by how effectively enterprises align technical ambition with physical infrastructure constraints.