What happened
KT Cloud announced a strategic technology partnership with Vertiv to use Vertiv’s SmartRun modular power‑and‑cooling solution at its new Gunsan AI Data Center. The collaboration will involve joint design reviews, prefabricated equipment deployment, and a feasibility study of liquid‑cooling technology, supporting KT Group’s plan to add 1 GW of AI‑focused capacity.
On October 28, KT Cloud disclosed that it had signed a "Next‑Generation AI Data Center Strategic Technology Partnership" with Vertiv, a global data‑center infrastructure supplier. The agreement covers power supply, cooling systems, and overall modular infrastructure for AI‑focused facilities.
The first implementation will be at the Gunsan AI Data Center, where Vertiv’s SmartRun solution— a prefabricated, factory‑assembled module that bundles power, cooling, and networking—will be installed. Vertiv claims the modular approach can cut on‑site construction time by as much as 85 % compared with traditional builds.
Beyond the initial deployment, the two firms will jointly assess equipment compatibility from the earliest design phases and explore high‑efficiency liquid‑cooling options to handle the heat loads that air‑cooling struggles with in high‑density GPU environments.
KT Cloud intends to leverage this partnership to accelerate its broader AI‑infrastructure rollout, adding up to 1 GW of capacity across its portfolio, which includes the existing Mokdong and Gasan AI data centers.
Source details: finance.biggo.com
Why it matters
High‑density GPU servers that power models consume large amounts of electricity and generate significant heat, making power delivery and thermal management critical bottlenecks for AI services. By adopting Vertiv’s factory‑built modular infrastructure, KT Cloud expects to reduce construction time by up to 85 % and achieve tighter control over power‑efficiency and cooling performance. Faster, more reliable builds could enable South Korean AI providers to scale capacity quickly as demand spikes, improving service uptime and lowering operational costs. The partnership also signals a broader shift toward integrated, design‑stage infrastructure planning for AI data centers, a model that could be replicated across the region.
GPU density trends are driving exponential growth in power consumption and heat generation, turning power delivery and thermal management into decisive factors for AI service reliability. Traditional on‑site construction can be slow and prone to quality variance, delaying capacity expansion.
Modular, prefabricated infrastructure offers tighter quality control, faster deployment, and the ability to standardize equipment across multiple sites. This can lower capital expenditures and operational overhead, especially important as AI workloads become more power‑intensive.
The partnership illustrates a move toward holistic, design‑stage infrastructure planning for AI data centers, a practice that could become a new industry norm. If successful, it may encourage other operators in South Korea and the broader Asia‑Pacific region to adopt similar modular solutions, reshaping the competitive landscape for AI capacity.
The inclusion of liquid‑cooling feasibility studies reflects growing interest in more efficient cooling technologies, which can improve power usage effectiveness (PUE) and reduce overall energy costs—a critical consideration given rising electricity prices and sustainability pressures.
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What to watch next
Watch for KT Cloud’s rollout timeline at Gunsan, the results of the liquid‑cooling feasibility study, and whether other Korean cloud operators adopt similar modular approaches. The 1 GW expansion target will reveal how quickly the market can absorb new AI capacity, and Vertiv’s performance data may influence equipment choices for future AI‑focused facilities worldwide.
The timeline for completing the Gunsan deployment and any reported performance metrics (e.g., PUE, construction time savings).
Outcomes of the liquid‑cooling feasibility study, including whether Vertiv’s solutions will be rolled out at scale in future KT Cloud facilities.
Progress toward the 1 GW AI‑data‑center expansion target and any adjustments to the rollout schedule based on demand or regulatory factors.
Reactions from other Korean cloud providers and data‑center vendors; adoption of similar modular approaches could indicate a broader industry shift.