Survey: 73% see data centres as key to innovation
March 26, 2025
Research reveals that 73 per cent of UK adults see data centres as key to innovation, in a major indicator that the public is supportive of the UK Government’s strategy to push forward data centre investment. In January, the Government announced plans to ‘turbocharge AI’, fuelled by expansions to data centre infrastructure.
Research conducted by Telehouse, which surveyed over 2,000 UK adults, highlights nearly half (48 per cent) of respondents believe data centres have a positive impact on the services they use every day, whilst 50 per cent want schools and universities to offer programmes focused on data centre technologies and potential careers.
Awareness of the role data centres play in UK infrastructure has traditionally been low, however with increased reliance on digital services to power daily life, including online entertainment, remote working – and most recently the use of AI – this research is an indicator of increased understanding.
“It’s encouraging to see public recognition of data centres as critical drivers of innovation continuing to grow, particularly as data centres have become essential to the way we live our lives,” commented Mark Pestridge, Executive Vice President and General Manager at Telehouse Europe. “Our sector needs to continue to drive awareness of the real-world benefits data centres provide – from supporting the economy and creating jobs, to enabling technologies like artificial intelligence.”
Pestridge’s call for broader education comes as nearly a quarter (24 per cent) remain unsure about exactly how data centres drive advances such as AI.
“The investment being made into data centres over the next decade will open lots of exciting career opportunities here in the UK, so we need to work with the education sector to include data centre operations in their STEM curriculum, to encourage young people to consider careers in the industry and build a steady talent pool. The survey showed half of adults want greater education through schools and university, and that’s exactly where we must be focussing our efforts,” added Pestridge.
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