Datacloud Global Congress 2026 brought together more than 6,000 leaders from across the global digital infrastructure ecosystem in Cannes, creating one of the most significant gatherings of data centre operators, hyperscalers, investors, technology providers, contractors and consultants in the industry. Across four days of discussions, networking and strategic meetings, one message was clear: the data centre market is entering a new phase of growth driven by AI adoption, power availability, speed-to-market pressures and unprecedented levels of investment.
For the DataScope team, the event provided valuable opportunities to reconnect with customers, strengthen partnerships and gain first-hand insight into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of digital infrastructure.
AI demand continues to reshape the industry
AI dominated conversations throughout the week. Industry leaders repeatedly highlighted how AI workloads are transforming infrastructure requirements, driving demand for larger campuses, higher-density deployments and accelerated delivery schedules. Discussions focused not only on the scale of AI-driven demand, but also on the practical realities of delivering the power, cooling and infrastructure required to support it.
As DataScope’s VP of North American Sales, Noah Baker reflected:
“The scale and energy of this year’s event reinforced what many of us are seeing firsthand: the digital infrastructure industry is entering a new phase of growth driven by AI, power availability, speed-to-market, and unprecedented investment in data centre capacity.”
The conversations throughout Cannes reflected a market moving from planning to execution, with organisations focused on solving real-world challenges around energy access, project delivery and operational resilience.
Power availability has become the defining constraint
One of the strongest themes emerging from Datacloud was the growing importance of power availability. Across Europe and North America, access to reliable energy is increasingly determining where new developments can be built and how quickly capacity can be delivered. Industry discussions focused on grid constraints, alternative energy solutions, nuclear power, and strategies to accelerate deployment.
Deliverability and speed-to-market have become key considerations for investors and operators alike. Organisations are placing greater value on projects with secured power, realistic delivery timelines and proven execution capabilities. This shift is creating new opportunities in regions where power availability offers a competitive advantage.
Collaboration is more important than ever
Beyond the conference sessions and formal meetings, one of the strongest messages from Datacloud was the growing importance of collaboration across the industry.
Owners, operators, contractors and technology providers are facing increasingly complex challenges that cannot be solved in isolation. Delivering AI-scale infrastructure requires stronger partnerships, better communication and greater alignment across the entire project lifecycle.
The value of Datacloud lies not only in the insights shared on stage, but also in the conversations that happen between organisations working together to solve common challenges.
Technology must deliver real value
Organisations are becoming increasingly focused on adopting technology where it creates genuine business and customer value, rather than implementing new solutions simply for technology’s sake. Success is measured not by the sophistication of the technology itself, but by its ability to solve real-world challenges, improve decision-making, enhance productivity and support safer, more efficient project delivery.
For technology providers, this means understanding that different stakeholders have different requirements. The needs of a project manager on-site are fundamentally different from those of a health and safety lead, an operations director or an executive responsible for strategic decision-making.
To create meaningful impact, technology must support people at every level of the organisation, from boots-on-the-ground users capturing and accessing critical information in real time, through to senior leaders requiring visibility, insights and confidence to make informed business decisions. The most effective solutions are those that connect these perspectives, enabling better collaboration, greater transparency and stronger outcomes across the entire project lifecycle.
People remain at the centre of progress
For DataScope’s VP of Mission Critical, Joe Desormeaux, the event served as a reminder of what continues to make the data centre industry unique.
“The people, the organisations, the thought leadership, and the willingness to help each other continue to set this sector apart.”
The conversations held across Cannes throughout the week reinforced the strength of relationships that have been built across the industry over many years.
The event also highlighted an important responsibility shared by everyone involved in delivering critical infrastructure.
“As leaders in this industry, we have a responsibility to support our project teams, raise standards, and ensure everyone goes home safely at the end of every day.”
While technology, AI and investment continue to accelerate growth, the industry’s long-term success remains dependent on maintaining high standards of safety, quality and project delivery.
Looking forward
Datacloud Global Congress 2026 demonstrated that confidence in the digital infrastructure sector remains exceptionally strong. AI continues to drive demand, investment levels remain high, and new markets are emerging to support the industry’s next phase of expansion.
However, the conversations in Cannes also made it clear that success will depend on overcoming constraints around power, deliverability, sustainability and workforce capability.
For DataScope, the event reinforced the importance of continuing to support customers with the tools, insights and expertise needed to deliver projects safely, efficiently and at scale. As the industry evolves, one thing remains constant: strong partnerships, innovative thinking and collaboration will continue to be the foundations of success.
Want to learn more about how DataScope is helping shape the future of digital infrastructure? Discover how our project delivery solutions help teams reduce risk, improve productivity and accelerate the delivery of projects at scale.