North America data center demand reached an all-time high in the first half of 2026 with 25 gigawatts of absorption, double the level from a year ago and five times that of two years prior. JLL’s North America Data Center Report – Midyear 2026 reveals that while structural demand continues to accelerate, responsible growth now depends on building trust through transparency and early community engagement around electricity, water and noise impacts.
The report exposes a stark paradox: While 79 percent of Americans support U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence (AI), only 14 percent support data center development in their community, which is a 65-point support gap that threatens to constrain the infrastructure buildout required to maintain AI competitiveness.
“We’re witnessing demand levels that continue to exceed even industry insiders’ expectations,” said Andy Cvengros, executive managing director, co-lead of U.S. data center markets at JLL. â€
