US$4 trillion data center surge exposes construction’s digital delivery gap

Globally, annual capital expenditure on data centers is expected to surpass $1 trillion annually by 2029. Image: Adobe Stock

The report warns that delivery could fall short unless building methods evolve to match the scale, speed, and complexity required to power the AI era.

This risk is underscored by the rapid growth of the global data center market, which is projected to reach US$4  trillion by 2030. To realise this economic potential, the report contends, the construction sector must accelerate the delivery of modern digital infrastructure to meet sustained demand for AI.

Revizto’s 2025 Digital Design & Construction Report reveals that, despite significant interest in AI across the Architecture, Engineering, Construction & Operations (AECO) industry, technology adoption remains a critical barrier, with many project teams still relying on static, non-integrated tools to manage complex and fast-moving projects.

This report found over a quarter of global AECO professionals (27%) still rely on email, spreadsheets, and PDFs as their primary digital tools. Usage of non-integrated tools is highest in France (30%), followed by Saudi Arabia (28%), the US (29%), then the UK and Germany (27%).

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The white paper – which surveyed over 2,000 global industry leaders – also found that 63% of AECO professionals are closely following developments in AI and automation, with interest peaking in the US at 73%. It also revealed that for 26% of leaders, tech adoption is their top business challenge, ranking above rising costs, talent shortages, and regulatory requirements. Again, this is most acute in the US, where 33% name tech adoption as their primary concern.

Tech giants – including Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta – are expected to spend over $300 billion this year alone on data centers. Governments are following suit and committing billions to increasing sovereign compute capacity. Globally, annual capital expenditure on data centers is expected to surpass $1 trillion annually by 2029.

“The global data center boom brings enormous promise, but also new levels of complexity, urgency, and risk,” said Arman Gukasyan, CEO of Revizto.

“The construction industry can’t keep pace with demand using static tools like Excel and PDFs. If we’re serious about meeting the demands of modern data center builds, we need a fundamental shift in how we deliver the physical infrastructure that supports them.”