What digital infrastructure will look like in the United States in 2030

With the global economy increasingly reliant on digital technology, the demands placed on the supporting infrastructure are spiralling out of control.

Government services, business operations and personal use are amongst the ways that society is reliant on modern digital infrastructure.

Capital expenditure on data centre infrastructure has been forecast to exceed $1.7 trillion by 2030, and the United States will responsible for a sizeable proportion of the outlay.

The expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, advancements in high-performance computing and propagation of edge computing will require significant investment.

In an ideal world, the US must spend $42 trillion over the next 25 years to place itself on an equal-footing with the leading digital nations worldwide.

Read on as we look at what the digital infrastructure will look like in the US in 2030, before assessing how the landscape will evolve over subsequent decades.

Short term pain for long term gain

AI adoption is forecast to be the trigger for a short-term ‘highly capital-intensive data centre build out phase’, with investment jumping 116 percent between 2024 and 2027.

The US power grid reportedly needs substantial investment to support a projected 150% increase in electricity demand from the data centre boom, AI and advanced manufacturing.

Further investments will be required into the transport infrastructure, digital networks, fibre, servers, satellites and towers to ensure the US can meet digital demand. 

Experts predict there will be a short-term explosion in infrastructure projects to cope with rising demand, before things settle down during the 2030s.

The benefits of expanded digital infrastructure extend well beyond enterprise computing and cloud services. As networks become faster and more reliable, a growing number of specialist publishers and content platforms are able to deliver richer experiences to highly engaged audiences around the world. 

This is particularly evident in sectors such as online gaming and competitive entertainment, where audiences increasingly consume live event coverage of poker events as well as engage across different online gambling platforms and new forms of casino games. 

Whether users are comparing online casinos, researching game libraries, or reading a Pokertube review to evaluate casino-related content and industry coverage, their experience depends on the fast, resilient digital infrastructure that supports modern media platforms.

The continued growth of these digital-first publishers underscores how investments in connectivity and data centre capacity support innovation across the wider online economy.

Aside from demand from government services and business operations, an ageing population will place additional strain on the digital infrastructure.

Healthcare for the general population and adequate support for elderly are amongst the elements where the current digital landscape is not fit for purpose.

The healthcare infrastructure is already under severe pressure in the US, and this will only worsen as the population grows and more people live longer.

Significant short-term investment will place a strain on the economy, but will ultimately ensure that the US keeps pace with global rivals in the digital stakes.

Which companies will drive the digital push in the US?

Several world-renowned organisations will play an integral role in ensuring that the US achieves its digital goals by 2030 and beyond.

These include Microsoft, Amazon and Google, who are the standout names on a list packed with specialists in their respective digital fields.

Microsoft Azure made an $80 billion commitment targeting AI-enabled infrastructure in 2025, while Amazon Web Services spent $75bn on cloud infrastructure the previous year.

Google Cloud Platform matched Amazon’s spending for AI infrastructure development last year, and all three companies plan to make further investments.

Equinix, Digital Realty Trust, CoreWeave, Lambda Labs, Verizon and Lumen Technologies are other major companies who will shape the new digital landscape in the US.

Northern Virginia, Phoenix and Texas are amongst the states that have attracted investments, while Columbus, Ohio, Iowa and Virginia are classified as ‘emerging secondary markets’ in the US.

The final word

Modern society is heavily reliant on digital services. Without a supporting infrastructure worthy of the name, governments, businesses and the general public would flounder.

States that tap into the opportunities presented by data centre developments are guaranteed to unlock billions of dollars in economic benefits.

Employment will spike during the construction phase, while demand for specialists to oversee the centres once they are operating will be high.

The knock-on effect will also be felt in associated sectors such as energy, telecommunications, cloud services, software and manufacturing.

For the organisations and individuals reliant on digital technology, the investments made over the next few years will be truly transformative.