Submarine cables were once the internet’s unseen highways, quietly carrying data between continents behind the scenes. But today, they are thrust into the global spotlight. Conflicts in key maritime zones have threatened to sever these crucial links, forcing companies to reroute critical traffic, or bypass entire regions altogether.
At the same time, inconsistencies in how countries regulate data centre infrastructure have added another layer of complexity. This has left operators navigating a patchwork of restrictions in the attempts to support customer demands and power the next wave of digital services.
These strains are serving as a wake-up call for a more unified approach to connectivity around the world. Without stronger cooperation, the industry could see critical gaps in the development of the global digital economy and a slowdown in the development of AI-driven services.
Navigating geopolitical tensions
One of the most immediate threats to this vision comes from rising geopolitical tensions. If left unaddressed, these tensions risk fragmenting the global digital economy. Submarine cables, which form the backbone of global internet traffic, have become one of the most pressing threats to global connectivity. These undersea links are now being actively targeted, either through geopolitical bargaining or outright attacks.
In 2024, four submarine cables were severed in the Red Sea in a suspected sabotage attack, affecting an estimated 25% of traffic flowing between Asia and Europe. HGC Global Communications was forced to take remedial action to reroute traffic. This situation has now escalated to a point where organisations are laying down cables that will not pass through certain regions. Meta, for example, has opted to bypass Europe for one of its new submarine cable projects, instead connecting Asia directly to the US via Africa. The 24-fibre pair system provides higher capacity to help support AI projects.
However, if this trend continues it may lead to increased costs and latency. In the long term, we could see entire continents missing out on access to the global digital economy. Greater collaboration between technology providers and data centre operators is essential to navigate these risks, ensuring that new cables reach as many regions around the world as possible.
Beyond connectivity, the fragmented nature of data centre regulations presents another significant challenge. Even within Europe, discrepancies between national policies, such as with sustainability targets, can create hurdles for operators. However, the EU has now taken steps to establish a scheme across the bloc where data centre operators must report their key performance indicators to the European database. This regulation will help to ensure that operators across each country are aligned to meeting the same sustainability targets, as they expand their operations to meet emerging technologies such as AI.
The role of data centres in AI development
Restrictions on the export of advanced GPUs to certain regions have also caused uncertainty, making it harder for companies to plan AI infrastructure investments. Any disruption to supply chains can slow progress in developing new applications and services. But a cooperative approach to technology governance is needed. AI and high-density computing are vital, after all, for powering complex data analyses, autonomous systems, materials science, and even drug discovery. As such, this rapidly growing technology is a primary driver behind the need for stable and truly unified global connectivity.
For example, the training of AI models is not particularly sensitive to latency, but the real-time processing of AI tasks, or AI inference, requires ultra-low-latency environments. AI workloads therefore need to be positioned closer to end users, making reliable global infrastructure more crucial than ever.
In the context of AI adoption, global collaboration is also needed to standardise liquid cooling deployments. Liquid cooling is essential for supporting higher performance and computationally demanding AI infrastructure, especially GPU-based systems, as it allows data centres to increase rack density up to 300 kilowatts. As AI solutions achieve greater uptake, liquid cooling adoption will need to increase in tandem.
However, different hardware providers are developing their own proprietary cooling solutions, making it difficult for data centre operators to implement a single, standardised infrastructure. Without greater global collaboration between hardware manufacturers to create a common solution, data centres will face higher costs and operational inefficiencies.
The need for a coordinated response
Geopolitical factors are also impacting the availability of internet traffic around the world, with major organisations routing cables away from crucial regions. In addition, regulations are creating disparities in data centre operations and a lack of standardisation is hindering the adoption of emerging technologies. The global digital economy therefore risks inefficiencies, higher costs, and lack of opportunities to leverage AI-driven solutions. The need for cross-border unity is therefore more pressing than ever.
It’s now essential that data centre operators, technology providers, and policymakers work together to establish shared objectives. For example, collaboration is essential to ensuring that cable deployments reach as many regions as possible and ensure that connectivity remains resilient, with infrastructure developments streamlined and AI-driven innovation able to flourish without any roadblocks. As the world becomes more reliant on real-time data processing, seamless global connectivity can advance technology innovation and foster economic growth in every region.
Sami Slim is the CEO of Telehouse France
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