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PwC sees $31.6 trillion in data center spending through 2050 as AI drives demand

Annual data center capital expenditure is projected to more than double from $800 billion this year to $1.8 trillion by 2050, driven by recurring chip upgrades

PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts cumulative global data center spending of $31.6 trillion through 2050, with AI demand pushing annual capital expenditure from roughly $800 billion this year to $1.8 trillion by mid-century, the firm said Wednesday.

The figures come from PwC's Global Data Centre Outlook, which covers 46 countries and territories and was modeled by Oxford Economics. The report also outlines an accelerated scenario in which spending reaches $50 trillion over the same period if AI adoption moves faster than the central forecast, according to Bloomberg.

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