Applied Digital CEO Wes Cummins

Applied Digital CEO Wes Cummins joins Data Center Frontier Editor-in-Chief Matt Vincent to break down what it takes to build AI data centers that can keep pace with Nvidia-era infrastructure demands and actually deliver on schedule.

Cummins explains Applied Digital’s “maximum flexibility” design philosophy, including higher-voltage delivery, mixed density options, and even more floor space to future-proof facilities as power and cooling requirements evolve.

The conversation digs into the execution reality behind the AI boom: long-lead power gear, utility timelines, and the tight MEP supply chain that will cause many projects to slip in 2026–2027.

Cummins outlines how Applied Digital locked in key components 18–24 months ago and scaled from a single 100 MW “field of dreams” building to roughly 700 MW under construction, using fourth-generation designs and extensive off-site MEP assembly—“LEGO brick” skids—to boost speed and reduce on-site labor risk.

On cooling, Cummins pulls back the curtain on operating direct-to-chip liquid cooling at scale in Ellendale, North Dakota, including the extra redundancy layers—pumps, chillers, dual loops, and thermal storage—required to protect GPUs and hit five-nines reliability.

He also discusses aligning infrastructure with Nvidia’s roadmap (from 415V toward 800V and eventually DC), the customer demand surge pushing capacity planning into 2028, and partnerships with ABB and Corintis aimed at next-gen power distribution and liquid cooling performance.