Digital Realty Released Global AI Investment Findings
The 2026 survey highlights how Asia Pacific enterprises are shifting strategies to accommodate rising artificial intelligence demand.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Data Centers
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Digital Realty has published its 2026 Global Data Insights Survey, revealing that 59% of Asia Pacific enterprises plan to boost their artificial intelligence investments by over 25% next year. The report examines how IT decision-makers across 19 countries are adapting their infrastructure to support AI in production.
Why it matters
As artificial intelligence moves into production, organizations must make critical decisions regarding where data resides and how to manage hybrid infrastructure. The survey indicates that companies are increasingly tying their data-location strategies directly to their broader AI plans to ensure success.
Digital Realty surveyed 2,131 IT decision-makers globally, including 707 in the Asia Pacific region. Results show that 33% of Australian firms are currently realizing AI return on investment, while 50% of Singaporean respondents identify specialized infrastructure gaps.
The players
Digital Realty
This is a global provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions.
The details
The survey polled professionals from organizations with 500 to 10,000 employees to understand their technical requirements. Respondents highlighted diverse priorities, with 30% of those in Japan emphasizing regulatory compliance and 24% of South Korean participants prioritizing reliable interconnection.
Timeline
September 22, 2026: The survey findings were released.
2026: The projected period for increased AI investment.
2025: The baseline year for investment comparisons.
Roadmap
This data reflects a broader industry shift as enterprises move away from legacy systems toward distributed data approaches to handle AI workloads. The transition positions infrastructure providers to play a central role in enabling the scalability required for next-generation production AI.
The push for integrated hybrid infrastructure may soon lead to faster, more reliable digital services as companies resolve current connectivity and hardware bottlenecks. Users can expect business-critical applications to become more sophisticated as enterprises successfully move their AI plans into production.
The takeaway
Businesses are increasingly prioritizing specialized infrastructure and regulatory alignment to overcome barriers to AI adoption. Leaders should evaluate their current hybrid data approaches to ensure they remain competitive as investment levels rise in 2026.
Further reading
For more context on the infrastructure supporting current trends, visit the Data Centers section.
Live Poll
Do you believe artificial intelligence is currently providing genuine benefits to your workplace?
