Episode #36 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features an interview with Rich Kenny, Managing Director at Interact.

  • Understand how to apply circular economy principles to the data center industry
  • Learn how to demystify the data center sector to attract top talent
  • Discover strategies for balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability
  • Explore the role of AI and digital infrastructure in driving societal impact
  • Identify internal champions and early adopters of decarbonization initiatives

Host:
Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI

 

Special Guest:
Rich Kenny, Managing Director
Interact

The conversation between Joshua Feinberg and Rich Kenny focused on the importance of decarbonizing and sustainability in digital infrastructure, emphasizing the need for a more sustainable and responsible approach to AI development. Rich Kenny highlights the importance of addressing legal and ethical issues and the need for a more holistic approach to carbon reduction -- plus insights on early career navigation and the current talent shortage in the data center industry, emphasizing the importance of self-learning, adaptability, and high-value skills. He also discusses the potential of AI in healthcare.

Outline

Circular economy and sustainability in the data center industry.

  • Rich Kenny, managing director of Interact in the UK, discusses decarbonization and sustainability in digital infrastructure.
  • Shares his background in economics and politics, and how it led him to focus on circular economy and IT solutions.
  • Discusses the journey into the circular economy, highlighting the benefits of product life extension and the importance of considering environmental and social impacts.
  • Explains the application of circular economy principles to data centers, including the need to understand the full cost of compute and the impact of data center operations on the environment and society.

Balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability in the data center industry.

  • Balances investment crucial for industry and stakeholders.
  • AI use requires a TCO model for energy cost-benefit analysis.
  • Advises students to find their passion and become an expert in it.
  • Emphasizes the importance of self-learning, motivation, and high-value skills.
  • Believes timing is crucial for career progression and being ready for opportunities.

Data center industry talent shortage and efforts to demystify and open up the industry to attract more professionals.

  • Data center industry faces a talent shortage and needs to demystify the sector.
  • The data center sector is built on secrecy, and needs to open up to attract talent.
  • Highlights the importance of data centers in achieving net zero goals and the need for career pathways in the industry.
  • Increased mainstream media coverage of data centers due to Nvidia's success and market appreciation.

Data centers, grid capacity, and infrastructure investment.

  • Data centers require grid capacity to operate
  • Data centers are essential for powering digital services that improve productivity, healthcare, and social impact.
  • Google's transparency tools, such as those in Google Maps and Google Flights, could be applied to other digital infrastructure applications.

AI's potential impact on society, ethical considerations, and the importance of responsible innovation.

  • AI will revolutionize travel, healthcare, and other industries.
  • Ethical concerns surround AI data collection and usage.
  • AI will lead to ethical solutions, but the traditional Silicon Valley approach won't work.
  • Other leaders are making the biggest mistake by not looking at product extensions appropriately.

Decarbonization, circular economy, and hardware's role in sustainability.

  • Predicts extending products' lifespan will reduce the environmental and cost impact of procurement.
  • Early adopters and internal champions are likely to drive ESG initiatives in companies.
  • Consultancy will shift from teaching to steering as ESG embedding in organizations grows.

Guest Resources

 

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