Power, Water, Labor: The Real Limits of Digital Expansion
Everyone sees AI as software—weightless, virtual, seamless. But behind every chatbot, search engine, or video stream is a very physical reality: massive data centers consuming megawatts of power, gallons of cooling water, and demanding constant vigilance to keep the lights on.
In this episode of RED Talks, Mike Doolan takes us behind the scenes of modern data center operations. With 30 years in the field, he shares hard-won insights about the real-world impact of AI, the design pressures of exponential growth, and the human challenges no one’s talking about—from staffing gaps to procedural failure.
⚡ Topics covered:
• Why AI is pushing data centers to their physical limits
• What immersion cooling and load swings mean for design resilience
• How reliability depends just as much on people as it does on equipment
• The workforce crisis in hyperscale infrastructure
• What he learned during a “trial by fire” early in his career
This is the talk for anyone asking: How do we keep critical systems online in a world that never stops?
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