KIT announces new AI data center in Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has announced a new modular data center for AI and scientific computing, with construction to start as soon as possible and first computers expected in 2030.

• Funding and scope: The project is supported by 24 million euros from the federal government and the state of Baden-Württemberg; initial electrical output is about 2 megawatts, expandable to 10 megawatts.
• Purpose and timeline: The data center will support research, digital sovereignty, and climate protection, use waste heat for campus heating via heat pumps, and is due for completion by end-2029.
• Context: KIT says the facility will replace existing systems and add capacity for data-intensive research, AI applications, and climate research; it is part of the federal government’s fast-track construction initiative.