AI Is Redefining Tech Infrastructure Priorities: Seagate Report Calls for Balance Between Cost and Carbon
New Seagate Report urges data center ecosystem to shift from fragmented efforts to a unified sustainability approach
Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:STX), a leader in mass-capacity data storage, today released the Decarbonizing Data1 report, its latest global report based on a commissioned survey, highlighting the growing sustainability challenges facing data centers as enterprises scale to meet the demands of AI.
Goldman Sachs Research forecasts global power demand from data centers will increase by as much as 165% by 2030, compared with 2023. Seagate's new report reveals that energy usage is now a top concern for 53.5% of business leaders. The rising data volumes, slowing power efficiency gains, and increasing AI adoption are putting pressure on organizations to manage carbon emissions, infrastructure expansion, and total cost of ownership (TCO) – all at once.
Key Findings:
- AI to spur a wave of demand for data storage: 94.5% of respondents reported increasing data storage needs, with 97% anticipating AI's growth to further impact storage demand.
- Environmental impact vs. total cost of ownership: Nearly 95% of respondents are concerned about environmental impact, but only 3.3% prioritize it in purchasing decisions.
- Top barriers in driving sustainability at data centers: High energy consumption (53.5%), raw material requirements (49.5%), physical space constraints (45.5%), infrastructure costs (28.5%), and acquisition costs (27%)
- Disconnect in life cycle management: 92.2% acknowledge the importance of extending the life cycle of storage equipment, but only 15.5% consider it a top purchasing factor.
"Data centers are under intense scrutiny – not only because they support modern AI workloads, but because they are becoming one of the most energy-intensive sectors of the digital economy," said Jason Feist, senior vice president of cloud marketing, Seagate. "This calls for a fundamental shift in how we think about data infrastructure – not as a trade-off between cost and sustainability, but as an opportunity to optimize for both."
As organizations expand their data capabilities, they face three options: improve efficiency within existing infrastructure, expand data center footprint, or migrate workloads to the cloud. Each option involves trade-offs between cost, carbon, and control, indicating that total cost of ownership and sustainability can be compatible goals. Decisions on energy consumption, space utilization, raw material use, and infrastructure investment now impact both business performance and environmental outcomes.
To support the industry in navigating this shift, the Decarbonizing Data report outlines three strategic pillars for building a more sustainable data future:
- Technological Innovation: Technological innovation remains a key driver of sustainable transformation. Advances in computational power, storage areal density, and energy-efficient technologies like liquid/immersion cooling and HVAC systems can significantly lower energy consumption and carbon emissions, effectively managing the growing demand profile. Seagate's HAMR-based Mozaic 3+ platform, now in volume production, enables up to 3 times more capacity in the same footprint, reduces embodied carbon by over 70% per terabyte2, and lowers cost per terabyte by 25%3.
- Commitment to life cycle extension and circularity: Refurbishing, reusing, and maintaining storage equipment extends lifespan and reduces waste. Real-time environmental monitoring and transparent reporting can foster accountability across the data center environment.
- Share accountability across the ecosystem: Achieving meaningful emissions reduction – across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 as outlined in the report– requires collaboration across the entire value chain, including vendors, suppliers, and cloud service providers.
"Sustainability cannot be solved in isolation. A holistic approach spanning infrastructure, life cycle management, and industry-wide accountability could ensure that the growth of AI and data center operations does not come at the expense of the environment," said Jason Feist.
To view the comprehensive survey results and analysis, download the full Decarbonizing Data report: https://www.seagate.com/resources/decarbonizing-data-report/.
- Seagate Technology's Decarbonizing Data report is based on a commissioned global study conducted by independent research firm Dynata, with fieldwork by global communications consultancy Current Global. Interviews were conducted with experts in the field of data storage and infrastructure, and a multi-market online survey was conducted with 330 data center professionals responding across 11 markets, including Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, North America, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
- Method: 10TB to 30TB capacity upgrade comparing Exos X10 to Exos X 30TB Mozaic drive, a common drive capacity needing upgrade at data centers today.
- Source: IDC Worldwide 1Q24 HDD Shipments and 4-Quarter Outlook by HDD Segment. May 2024. IDC #US52080224
About Seagate Technology
Seagate is a leader in mass-capacity data storage. We have delivered more than four and a half billion terabytes of capacity over the past four decades. We make storage that scales, bringing trust and integrity to innovations that depend on data. In an era of unprecedented creation, Seagate stores infinite potential. To learn more about how Seagate leads storage innovation, visit www.seagate.com and our blog, or follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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