30 October 2024
Under the Radar: Digital Core REIT’s CEO on the impact of AI boom on data centre demand and how Southeast Asia could be a bright spot
Did you know that a ChatGPT query takes up nearly 10 times the amount of electricity needed to run a Google search on average?
That’s right. And what that means is that the current boom in artificial intelligence we’re seeing is driving up a significant increase in data centre workload and demand for data centre capacity.
For one thing, the International Data Corporation or IDC expects the surging demand for AI workloads to drive up AI data centre capacity at a projected compound annual growth rate of 40.5% from 2024 through 2027.
But how has that filtered down to data centre operators and related REITs? That’s what we are going to find out from our guest for today, Digital Core REIT.
Listed on the mainboard of the SGX in 2021, Digital Core Reit is said to be the only pure-play data centre Singapore REIT sponsored by data centre owner and operator Digital Realty.
The REIT has a principal investment strategy of investing in a diversified portfolio of stabilised income-producing real estate assets located globally which are used primarily for data centre purposes, as well as assets necessary to support the digital economy.
Currently, the REIT holds US$1.4B in assets under management and 10 data centres in its portfolio. But how will this change amid the boom in AI, and how far will Southeast Asia be a bright spot for the firm, with big techs pouring investments into the region to build data centres?
Also – how does Digital Core REIT assess Singapore as a destination to host data centres?
On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to John Stewart, CEO, Digital Core REIT.

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29 November 2023
Bigger Picture: Data centre REIT's lessons from tenant bankruptcy
Data centre real estate investment trust, Digital Core REIT has navigated some challenges this year - with the bankruptcy of its second largest customer.
After swiftly resolving the challenge amid rising interest rates and refinancing costs, the company has made its inaugural expansion into the APAC region through Japan, in a move that’s a stepping stone for future acquisitions in the region.
John Stewart, the CEO of Digital Core REIT shares more of the company's goals, and plans for the future amid AI advancement.
Presented by Audrey Siek
This podcast is produced and edited by Audrey Siek (audreysk@sph.com.sg)

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