Permitting, labor shortages threaten data center timelines

A significant portion of U.S. data center projects, nearly 40%, are at risk of delays due to permitting hurdles and labor shortages. Data from SynMax indicates that 60% of projects planned for the upcoming year have not yet commenced construction. These challenges pose a substantial threat to the timely completion of crucial infrastructure for AI development and deployment. The findings highlight potential bottlenecks in the expansion of data center capacity, which could impact the pace of technological advancements and the broader digital economy.