Data center costs surge up to 18% as enterprises face two-year capacity drought

Data center prices are through the roof, particularly in spots like Northern Virginia and Amsterdam. Vacancies languish at a scant 1.9%. Blame it on AI's ravenous demand. Hyperscalers and AI outfits are feasting on capacity, crafting an "artificial scarcity" that echoes the real estate scene. Some folks murmur about a bubble waiting to burst. What's the culprit? AI workloads slurp up triple the juice. Enterprises must revise their financial playbooks. The sharp ones are dodging to Tier-2 markets like Des Moines. They're pulling out playbooks filled with shorter leases and hybrid cloud setups, maneuvering through this treacherous terrain until the forecast calls for clear skies post-2027.