POWERING AI
Where Canada's AI Ambition Meets the Infrastructure That Makes It Possible
1 Day | 4 Themes | Power Packed Discussions
- 20th October, 2026
- The International Centre, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
POWERING AI
Where Canada's AI Ambition Meets the Infrastructure That Makes It Possible
1 Day | 4 Themes | Power Packed Discussions
- 20th October, 2026
- International Centre, Toronto, Canada
About Powering AI
Powering AI is a co-located platform within the Global Data Centre & Cloud Expo (GDCC) Canada 2026, featuring an independent conference stage dedicated to the convergence of AI, energy, digital infrastructure, and compute.
Taking place on 20th October 2026 at The International Centre, Toronto, Canada. Powering AI will bring together government leaders, utilities, hyperscalers, cloud providers, technology innovators, investors, data centre operators, and infrastructure providers to address one of the defining questions of the decade: How do we provide the Power Infrastructure Backing to Canada’s AI Ambitions? As AI adoption accelerates and hyperscale infrastructure expands, the conference will explore the policies, investments, partnerships, and technologies required to build resilient, sustainable, and AI-ready infrastructure, from energy generation and grid modernization to next-generation data centres, advanced cooling, cloud platforms, and high-performance computing.
Key Conference Themes
Lights On for AI
Solving the Energy Challenge of the Intelligence Age
Green by Design
Building an AI Future Without the Carbon Footprint
Betting on Intelligence
Financing the Infrastructure Behind the AI Revolution
The Hidden Friend of AI
Water, Cooling, and the Race for Resilience
The Infrastructure of Intelligence
The Global Storyline
The world is entering a new era where artificial intelligence is becoming the foundation of economic competitiveness, national security, and technological leadership.
However, AI does not operate in isolation. Every AI model, cloud platform, and intelligent application depends on an ecosystem of power generation, transmission networks, data centres, connectivity, semiconductors, cooling systems, and digital infrastructure.
Can Infrastructure Keep Up?
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping industries, economies, and societies at an unprecedented pace. Yet behind every AI breakthrough lies a critical challenge: the power infrastructure required to power it.
As AI adoption accelerates globally, demand for compute capacity, data centres, cloud infrastructure, energy, cooling, and connectivity is growing exponentially. This growth presents both an extraordinary opportunity and a pressing challenge, how do we continue to unlock AI innovation while ensuring energy security, sustainability, and responsible resource management?
The Four Forces Fuelling the AI Era
Nuclear Power
Always-On Energy for Always-On Intelligence
Delivering reliable, carbon-free baseload power to support the growing demands of AI and hyperscale infrastructure.
Natural Gas
Powering Growth at Scale
Providing the flexibility and speed needed to meet surging AI-driven energy demand while ensuring grid reliability.
Renewable Energy
Sustainable Energy for Sustainable AI
Driving the transition to cleaner digital infrastructure through solar, wind, hydro, and next-generation renewable solutions.
Grid Infrastructure
Connecting Power to Possibility
Delivering reliable, carbon-free baseload power to support the growing demands of AI and hyperscale infrastructure.
Why This Discussion Matters
Rising Energy Requirements
AI infrastructure is becoming one of the largest consumers of electricity globally, creating significant pressure on power grids and energy systems. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data centres consumed around 415 TWh of electricity in 2024, equivalent to about 1.5% of global electricity consumption. This has grown at ~12% per year over the last five years—more than four times faster than total global electricity demand.
Projections show data centre electricity consumption more than doubling to around 945 TWh by 2030 (just under 3% of global electricity), roughly equivalent to Japan’s total annual electricity use today. AI-driven accelerated servers are the primary driver, with their electricity consumption projected to grow by ~30% annually.
Who Will Attend
The decision-makers building the AI economy.
C-Level Executives
- CEOs
- CIOs
- CTOs
- Chief AI Officers
- Chief AI Officers
- Chief Data Officers
- Chief Sustainability Officers
Infrastructure Leaders
- Data Centre Operators
- Colocation Providers
- Cloud Architects
- Facilities Managers
- Network Infrastructure Leaders
Energy & Utilities
- Power Producers
- Grid Operators
- Renewable Energy Developers
- Battery Storage Providers
- Utility Executives
Investors & Policymakers
- Infrastructure Funds
- Private Equity
- Venture Capital
- Government Agencies
- Regulators
Power the next wave of AI.
Join the leaders, builders, and investors shaping the infrastructure of the AI economy. Register your interest to attend, exhibit, or sponsor POWERING AI.
