通信IDC：AI算力需求注入新动能，行业或拐点将至

Industry Rating - The report maintains an "Outperform" rating for the industry [1] Core Insights - The demand for AI computing power is driving significant upgrades in data centers, with an increasing share of large and super-large AI data centers (AIDC) [2] - Strong capital expenditure (CAPEX) growth is observed in overseas cloud providers, while domestic major players are also ramping up AI investments, indicating a new wave of development opportunities in infrastructure [3] - Government policies are being introduced to support the healthy and orderly development of the industry, with initiatives like "East Data West Computing" and "dual carbon" policies promoting green transformation [4] Summary by Sections 1. Data Centers Transitioning to AIDC - The evolution of data centers has gone through four stages, with the current focus on AI computing power [11] - AIDC differs fundamentally from traditional IDC in terms of chip types, computing capabilities, and energy consumption requirements [15] 2. Increasing Power Demand in Data Center Racks - The power requirements for data center racks are rising due to the increasing power consumption of new CPU and GPU products [22][26] - The average power density of data center racks is expected to increase significantly, with high-density racks becoming more common [93] 3. IDC Industry Cycle Review - The IDC industry has experienced two cycles from 2013 to 2022, with significant capital expenditure growth during the first cycle driven by mobile internet traffic [31][40] - The second cycle has seen a slowdown in growth rates due to market saturation and changing demand dynamics [47] 4. AIDC Industry Chain and Value Distribution - The AIDC industry chain encompasses a wide range of components, with IT equipment accounting for approximately 90% of the value [69] - The operational costs of data centers are heavily influenced by electricity costs, which constitute the largest portion of expenses [71] 5. Driving Factors for the IDC Industry - The demand for AI computing power is expected to continue growing, with significant investments in intelligent computing centers projected for the future [75][78] - The construction costs for data centers are increasing due to rising land, hardware, and power costs, contributing to the overall value growth of the industry [84] 6. Supply and Demand Analysis in the IDC Industry - The market share of third-party data center operators is increasing as internet companies slow down their self-built data center projects [98]