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Why Spotify is Trying Two CEOs & Data Centers Demystified with Wes Cummins

Oct 3, 2025
Wes Cummins, the CEO and co-founder of Applied Digital, shares his insights into the fascinating world of data centers, the backbone of AI technology. He explains the metrics that define modern data centers, like power density and megawatts. Discussing Applied Digital's pivot from Bitcoin to AI, he reveals their proactive strategy in building facilities ahead of demand. Wes also touches on North Dakota’s strategic advantages for data centers, including its cold climate and renewable energy resources, while addressing community concerns and workforce strategies.
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ANECDOTE

Built First, Signed Customers Later

  • Applied Digital proactively built large AI-capable facilities before signing hyperscale customers.
  • The company spent nearly $1 billion on Ellendale ahead of landing a customer like CoreWeave.
ANECDOTE

CoreWeave Powers Ellendale Launch

  • CoreWeave signed for 400 megawatts across multiple buildings at Applied Digital's Ellendale campus.
  • The first building turns on with one of the largest direct-to-chip liquid-cooling deployments in the world.
ADVICE

Let Customers Source Chips; You Deliver The Facility

  • Let customers procure chips and server architecture while you deliver reliable, high-density infrastructure.
  • Focus your scope on building and operating facilities with five-nines reliability.
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