Microsoft investigates HTS superconductors to power AI datacenters

Microsoft is investigating high-temperature superconductors (HTS) to understand how its datacenters can meet rising AI-driven power demand and improve operational sustainability.

• Primary announcement: Microsoft is exploring and testing HTS technologies (including a factory test of a 3MW superconducting cable and a world’s first HTS-powered rack prototype) to increase power density, reduce transmission losses, and support AI-era workloads. Microsoft is working with technology partners and system integrators such as VEIR (a Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund portfolio company) and referencing industry examples from AMSC/ComEd.
• Background and implementation details: HTS can deliver an order of magnitude higher capacity at the same voltage and smaller physical footprint, enabling denser rack power delivery and reduced community impact; Microsoft shared its vision at OCP 2025 and highlights integration with cooling (cryogenics), networking (hollow-core fiber), and microfluidics projects for deployment.