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Linklaters reported that $22 billion was invested in data centers worldwide from January through May 2024, based on its analysis of Inframation data. That historical five-month total anchors this June 7, 2024 roundup; it is not a current investment tally. The period also brought announcements from Microsoft and CoreWeave, Nvidia’s accelerator roadmap, Intel’s 144-core Xeon 6 6700E, and renewed attention to the electricity needed to power data-center growth.
What did the $22 billion data-center investment figure cover?
Linklaters’ May 29, 2024 analysis put global data-center investment at $22 billion for January through May 2024. For context, the firm reported $36 billion in global investment during 2023, which it described as the second-largest investment year of the preceding decade. North America accounted for 62% of global transaction value in 2023.
Regional figures have different cutoffs: Linklaters said North America had drawn $15 billion, or 69% of investment, through April 2024; Europe had attracted more than $7 billion, or a 29% share, during the first five months. These numbers describe reported investment activity, not a measure of data-center capacity completed or operating. Linklaters’ May 2024 analysis attributed the market’s appeal to growing demand and investor interest in digital infrastructure.
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Which major data-center investments and projects were announced?
The June 2024 roundup covered commitments and project news at different stages. Announced investment plans should not be confused with completed construction or confirmed operating capacity.
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| Company or project | What was reported | Status and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft in Sweden | $3.2 billion commitment; plans to add 20,000 GPUs across three data centers and train 250,000 people in AI skills. | Commitments described in June 2024 coverage; the roundup does not establish subsequent completion. |
| CoreWeave in Europe | An additional $2.2 billion for European infrastructure expansion. | In a June 3, 2024 company announcement, CoreWeave planned three facilities before year-end 2024; this does not establish that they later opened. Read the company announcement. |
| DataNovaX in Texas | A $1 billion campus. | The roundup reported the campus opening; it did not provide further facility specifications. |
| Singtel, KKR and ST Telemedia Global Data Centres | A possible minority-stake transaction involving the companies. | Reported as a potential deal based on anonymous sources, not as a confirmed investment or completed transaction. |
The announcements illustrate how investment can take different forms: corporate commitments to expand infrastructure, a reported campus opening, and a potential ownership transaction. The available figures are not directly comparable measures of new capacity.
What new data-center hardware did Nvidia and Intel announce?
Nvidia: Blackwell Ultra and Rubin roadmap
At Computex in Taiwan, Nvidia outlined a planned annual AI accelerator refresh: Blackwell Ultra for 2025, followed by Rubin in 2026. The June 2024 coverage said Rubin was expected to use HBM4 memory, but Nvidia had not detailed its specifications at the time. These were roadmap statements made in 2024, not confirmation of current product availability or a like-for-like performance comparison. The June 2024 report quoted CEO Jensen Huang saying, “We are seeing computation inflation,” referring to rising computational demand.
Rank #2
- Save valuable floor space: 12U wall mount server cabinet Dimensions: 24.25" H x21.65" W x17.72" D. MAXIMUM MOUNTING DEPTH is 14.2".
- Keep critical network equipment secure: glass door and side panels are lockable to prevent unauthorized access; Front door can be installed on either side of the front of the cabinet to satisfy your door swing orientation preference
- Easy equipment configuration: Fully adjustable mounting rails and numbered U positions, with square holes for easy equipment mounting with top and bottom punchout panels for easy cable access
- Durability: Made of high quality cold rolled steel holds up to 110lb (50kg) (Easy Assembly Required)
- PCI & HIPPA and EIA/ECA-310-E compliant
Intel: 144-core Xeon 6 6700E
Intel had begun shipping the Xeon 6 6700E, an E-core processor with 144 cores, previously known by the codename Sierra Forest. Intel positioned it for public and private cloud workloads, including cloud-native applications, content delivery networks, microservices and consumer digital services.
Intel said the 6700E delivered 4.2 times the performance and 2.6 times the performance per watt of second-generation Xeon processors. Those are Intel’s stated comparisons, reported in June 2024 coverage—not independently verified benchmark results in that report. The figures do not establish that the chip is faster or more efficient than Nvidia accelerators: the products target different workloads and the roundup offered no comparable tests or prices. Intel’s Xeon 6 launch announcement provides the company’s positioning.
Rank #3
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- Design Features:maximum mounting depth of 14 in,cables can be fixed on the side panel;Open frame server rack achieves effortless inspection, replacement and assemble
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Cisco: integrated AI data-center offering
The roundup also described a Cisco offering that combined servers, storage, networking and AI software for on-premises deployment. It did not identify a specific product model, price or comparative test, so it supports describing the approach—not evaluating it against a named competing system.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What infrastructure and energy pressures accompanied the announcements?
More facilities and AI computing require power as well as investment. Data Center Knowledge reported that CBRE expected 273 MW of new capacity in smaller European secondary markets during 2024, with 56 MW delivered in the first quarter; the roundup compared the forecast with a 228 MW record in 2022. These figures are the roundup’s account of CBRE’s outlook, not an independently reviewed CBRE report.
The roundup relayed a PGIM forecast that data centers’ share of global electricity consumption could rise from 2% in the source’s 2024 context to more than 20% by 2030. This is a forecast cited secondhand in 2024, not a verified present-day electricity-use baseline. Data Center Knowledge’s energy coverage also reported remarks from U.S. Department of Energy undersecretary for infrastructure David Crane, who was “very bullish” on emerging small modular reactor designs. The comments indicate interest in potential future power sources; they do not establish that such reactors are supplying the facilities discussed.
Quick Recap
How to read this roundup today
- Treat the $22 billion total as global investment reported for January–May 2024, not as a current annual figure.
- Read company investment announcements and construction schedules as plans unless a source confirms completion.
- Keep Intel’s performance claims attributed to Intel, and do not infer a winner between CPUs and AI accelerators from incomparable claims.
- Distinguish electricity-use forecasts and proposed energy options from measured consumption and operating power supply.
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