Data centres are evolving into AI factories: Manish Kumar, Executive VP, Schneider Electric

What began as infrastructure to store data is now evolving into a system that generates intelligence at scale—from tokens and code to images, voice, and real-time decisions. The ChatGPT moment did not just accelerate adoption; it fundamentally redefined the role of data centres. Today, they are transitioning into what industry leaders are calling “AI factories.”

For CIOs, this shift is not theoretical—it is deeply operational and immediate.

In this conversation, Manish Kumar, Executive Vice President – Secure Power & Data Centers, Schneider Electric breaks down what this shift to AI factories really means: where the gaps lie, why energy is becoming the new bottleneck, how skills are being redefined, and how enterprises can rethink data centres not just as infrastructure—but as core engines of competitive advantage.

Some edited excerpts:

Can you take us through some of the key trends that you are seeing in the data centre industry ...