In this interview, Hitachi Vantara’s Chief Strategy Officer, Simon Ninan, outlines a blueprint for the data center of the future by prioritizing outcome-driven AI strategies over wasteful overbuilding. He argues that enterprises must shift from hoarding "digital exhaust" to adopting a data-as-a-product mindset, emphasizing that high-quality, governed data is the only way to escape "pilot purgatory." To manage soaring energy demands, Ninan introduces the concept of grid-aware infrastructure, where software policies help schedule workloads based on real-time power availability and costs. He further discusses the rise of sovereign AI, predicting that global firms must adopt regional, hybrid architectures to comply with local data laws. Ultimately, Ninan contends that sustainability and operational efficiency are not mere ethical choices but are essential for long-term business survival and scalable innovation.
