Data centres are the new front line and Europe’s AI factories should slow down, says UN adviser

Data centres have become key targets in conflicts, potentially crippling countries' economies and public services like banks and hospitals. Russia has struck data centres in Ukraine, while Ukrainian drones have retaliated against Russian data centres. Mehdi Paryavi, a United Nations adviser and founder of the International Data Center Authority, warns that Europe should reconsider its AI infrastructure location.

He explains that a successful data centre attack can paralyze military, healthcare, and financial functions. As societies become more digitized, data centres provide the energy needed for artificial intelligence, making them critical in modern warfare. Paryavi suggests countries should consider their data centre locations more carefully, possibly opting for underground or fortified structures.

He acknowledges that no country has a clear solution, but stresses that the industry's previous advice to choose sites discreetly may no longer suffice. Paryavi asserts that the days of randomly locating data centres are over. He anticipates European governments will rethink their AI gigafactory plans following the strikes. A European Commission spokesperson confirms the call for AI gigafactories across Europe is still open, but no mention is made of how targeting data centres might alter these plans.

Paryavi emphasizes that data centre damage can be economically devastating, with costs reaching up to $25 billion each and taking three years to build. He cautions that Europe cannot afford to invest billions in data centres and have them destroyed in warfare. He urges European states to act collectively, considering the security risks, global energy shortages, and lack of skilled workers.

Instead of having isolated data centres, Paryavi recommends building them in clusters, with protective measures like iron domes, to safeguard them.