Getting an Inside Look at the Engine of Our AI Boom

Data centers are the engine of an AI boom that is transforming our lives, work and the broader economy. Silicon Valley, San Francisco and the wider Bay Area are leading the world in new AI research and technology development, and the Bay Area Council is focused on ensuring we maintain our competitive leadership. That’s why we welcome an Executive Order signed today (July 23) by President Trump to accelerate and expand U.S. AI leadership. And it’s why we joined new Bay Area Council member Equinix and CEO Adaire Fox-Martin for a tour of their state-of-the-art IBX data center campus in South San Jose to learn about how important these facilities are in the race to AI dominance. Redwood City-based Equinix is a global leader in data center development.

Around 30 staff members from the state Legislature along with representatives from San Jose city government participated in the tour, where we heard from Fox-Martin about Equinix’s network of 270 IBX (International Business Exchange) data centers around the globe and the role they play in the 21st century digital economy.  Participants also received a behind the scenes tour of the inner workings of the center and saw firsthand the cutting-edge technology that makes possible so many things that we take for granted such as video streaming, e-commerce, remote work, and telehealth to name just a few. Thank you to our partners at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck for facilitating the visit.

The Bay Area Council recognizes that data centers are a mission critical component of our future economy infrastructure and is working to ensure energy availability and reliability and ease of permitting. The Council is also advocating against overly restrictive and short-sighted regulations that would hamper our AI industry. To engage in our data center and AI policy work, please contact Senior Vice President Matt Regan.