Term explained
What is a data centre?
A data centre is a large building full of computers (servers) that store data and run online services, including the AI models behind chatbots.
In plain English
Whenever you use an online service, such as email, video streaming, online banking or a chatbot, the work happens on computers in a data centre. A data centre is a secure building packed with rows of servers, along with the electricity supply, backup power, internet connections and cooling systems needed to keep them running day and night.
AI data centres are a newer, more demanding kind. They are filled with expensive AI chips that use far more power and produce far more heat than ordinary servers.
Why it matters
Data centres are where AI actually lives. Their number and size decide how much AI can be offered and at what price, and they have become one of the biggest new users of electricity in many countries. Building them also brings jobs and investment, which is why governments compete to attract them.
An example
When you ask a chatbot to summarise a document, your request travels to a data centre perhaps hundreds of kilometres away. There, AI chips run the model, write the summary and send it back to your screen, often in under a few seconds.
What to watch out for
Data centres need lots of electricity and, often, water for cooling, which can strain local supplies. When reading claims about AI’s environmental impact, check whether they refer to one question, one data centre or the whole industry, because the numbers differ enormously. See what powers AI.