H1 2026 data center absorption reached a record 25GW of IT load, exceeding analyst expectations and confirming hyperscaler capex is accelerating faster than prior forecasts.

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, 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.