The QTS Experience

Join us for a live discussion from Truist Park at the 2026 Atlanta Conn3ct Data Summit where we discuss the very real challenge of educating and attracting the work force of the future.

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Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters

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Cosme Garcia didn't plan to work in data centers — a project manager got sick, somebody asked him to fill in, and three decades later he's still here, still curious, and still trying to be the least smart person in the room. We talk about wrenches, weather, and what to tell your kid.

Chapters:

00:00 How Cosme Accidentally Ended Up in Data Centers

02:00 Exodus Communications and Learning Power and Cooling the Hard Way

08:30 Why Being the Least Smart Person in the Room Is the Goal

10:30 The Question Cosme Is Asking: When Do We Use AI on Ourselves?

14:00 From a Refrigerator-Sized Gigabyte to a 250-Gigabyte Phone

18:40 Even the Lineman on the Pole Now Depends on a Massive Building

22:00 The Cold War Between IT Teams and Facilities Teams

29:30 Jim Gao, DeepMind, and the Variable Nobody Predicted

35:00 Why Humans Are Bad at Patterns and Casinos Are Good at Them

41:30 Too Many AI Tools, Not Enough Time: Where Do You Even Start?

46:30 Agentic AI: Beyond Prompts, Toward Work That Does Itself

54:00 Trust, IBM, and Picking a Partner When the Market Is Crowded

59:30 Are Our Jobs at Risk? Which Ones, and Why a Wrench Still Wins

1:06:00 QTS Grew 20-Fold; Staffing Didn't. Here's What Happened.

1:14:00 What Will Force the Next Wave: Power, Competition, and One Senior Leader

1:21:00 Advice for the 26-Year-Old: Be Fearful or Be the Person Who Figured It Out

Reference Links: Google / DeepMind data center efficiency work — the project Jim Gao led that applied machine learning to data center cooling optimization. Public reference: https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/deepmind-ai-reduces-google-data-centre-cooling-bill-by-40/

Cosme Garcia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosmegarcia/

Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!

For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com

Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters

Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcast@q.com

Bill Kleyman, CEO of Apolo, says the gigawatt era is here, and our industry has to grow up fast. We get into power as a relationship, the new physical security frontline, why every data center is becoming an AI data center, and what bravery actually looks like in this market.

Chapters:

00:00 Cold Open: The Energetic Chipmunk on a Barrel of Oil

01:20 Welcome to the Gigawatt Era - Why It Is Already Here

06:31 The Outsider Reaction: When Trillions of Chips Sound Like a Threat

09:06 Listening to the Skeptics: A High School DECA Lesson and a GDC Backstage

23:36 Plant Seeds, Do Not Win Arguments - The Communication Playbook

24:50 Power Is Not a Line Item, It Is a Relationship

32:23 Bravery Defined: Big Decisions With Eyes Wide Open

38:14 Cloud, AI, and the Electrification Moment for Digital Infrastructure

44:02 The New Frontline: Physical Security in the AI Era

54:42 Tools of the Adversary: Drones, Wireless, and What Comes Next

59:38 The Catalyst, the Targets, and the Closing Charge of Fearless Curiosity

Links and References:

Bill Kleyman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billkleyman

Apolo (Bill’s company): https://www.apolo.us

Bill Kleyman personal site: https://billkleyman.com

AFCOM article — "2026: The Gigawatt Era Begins" (Bill’s monthly AFCOM piece referenced at the top of the episode). Read it here

AFCOM State of the Data Center 2026 — the 10th-anniversary edition of the report Bill authored. The "human threats overtaking ransomware" and "84% changing physical security" figures both come from this report.

AFCOM resources AFCOM forthcoming security article — "The New Frontline: Securing Data Centers in an AI Era," scheduled for AFCOM publication the Friday of the recording week. AFCOM news feed

Bastille Networks (referenced for wireless / drone-based facility security): https://bastille.net

Volta Grid (referenced for behind-the-meter natural gas generation): https://www.voltagrid.com

Schneider Electric Innovation Summit (where Bill heard the 200 GW projection): https://www.se.com/us/en/work/campaign/innovation/summit.jsp

NVIDIA GTC 2026 (Jensen Huang trillions-of-chips and 600 kW rack reference): https://www.nvidia.com/gtc

Game Developers Conference (GDC) - Bill’s Luminary Stage talk: https://gdconf.com

Nomad Futurist (industry talent and education organization Bill is on the board of): https://nomadfuturist.org

Infrastructure Masons (where Bill chairs the Education Committee): https://imasons.org

AFCOM (where Bill is Data Center World Program Chair): https://afcom.com

Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!

For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com

Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters

Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcast@qtsdatacenters.com

Ojonimi Bako's dad survived hepatitis C on a clinical trial at Gilead. Now Ojonimi builds the facilities where the next cure gets discovered. The CEO of Kaya connects construction chaos, AI-driven supply chains, and what it means to build something that outlasts you -- in under 90 minutes.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction -- Ojonimi Bako, CEO of Kaya

00:00:53 From Accenture and Walmart Labs to Construction: The Origin Story

00:05:36 The Gilead Story -- Why Mission-Critical Infrastructure Is Literally Life and Death

00:10:44 Electricity, Night, and What the AI Transformation Actually Means

00:16:00 Practical AI: From Grocery Lists to Accelerating Human Expertise

00:19:08 Why People Resist AI -- and Why That Is Already Changing

00:26:35 Building the Pyramids Again: The Scale of the Data Center Revolution

00:28:41 Staying Relevant in a Rapidly Changing World -- The Full-Stack Operator

00:32:01 Foundation: Physics, Upward Bound, and Silicon Valley

00:35:55 Africa, London, Oslo -- How Global Experience Shapes Lateral Thinking

00:39:11 The Moment Ojonimi Saw the Problem: The Suffolk Accelerator

00:42:09 What Is Kaya and How Does It Work? 00:47:59 Choke Points -- The Real Challenges of Building Across Stakeholders

00:51:39 Japan, Trust, and the Single Plan

00:54:58 Buy, Track, Deliver -- The Kaya Platform Explained

00:56:38 Building Trust with Skeptical Customers -- Execution at Speed

01:04:00 Connecting Construction Work to Human Flourishing

01:04:40 The Base of the Economic Pyramid -- Supply Chain Responsibility in DRC and Africa

01:07:39 What Gives Ojonimi Hope -- Community, Gratitude, and What Comes Next

01:09:44 One Belief People Get Wrong About AI

01:13:04 The Leadership Habit He Is Still Developing -- His Father's Legacy

01:18:05 What We Didn't Get to Cover -- Real-World Results and 2026 Focus

01:19:26 How to Connect with Ojonimi Bako and Kaya

References:

Ojonimi Bako on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ojonimibako/

Kaya (company website): https://www.kayapays.com/

Accenture -- https://www.accenture.com

Walmart Global Tech (formerly Walmart Labs) -- https://tech.walmart.com

Gilead Sciences -- https://www.gilead.com

Suffolk Construction -- https://www.suffolk.com

Bootstrap Labs (Applied Artificial Intelligence fund, San Francisco) -- https://bootstraplabs.com

Nvidia -- https://www.nvidia.com

Amazon Web Services (AWS) -- https://aws.amazon.com

Kent State University -- https://www.kent.edu

Upward Bound Program / Ohio Wesleyan University -- https://www.owu.edu

Stanford Graduate School of Business (Executive MBA) -- https://www.gsb.stanford.edu

Procore Technologies (referenced as industry platform) -- https://www.procore.com

Autodesk Construction Cloud (referenced as industry platform) -- https://construction.autodesk.com

Architecture 2030 (carbon emissions from the built environment): https://architecture2030.org

Responsible Minerals Initiative (cobalt sourcing and the Democratic Republic of Congo): https://www.responsiblemineralsinitiative.org

Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!

For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com

Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters

Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcastoffice@q.com

I sat down with Ivo Ivanov to talk interconnection, AI, latency, resilience, and why digital infrastructure has to get closer to people. Airports, robots, sovereignty, and even space made their way into this one.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro & Why Interconnection Matters Now

00:01:20 - Explaining Interconnection in Plain English

00:06:09 - Why the Internet Must Be Developed Further

00:08:45 - Latency, Eye Blinks, and Real-Time Robotics

00:14:10 - Why Digital Infrastructure Must Be Everywhere

00:17:10 - Reducing Complexity Through Interconnection

00:19:47 - AI-IX, Agent Routing, and GPU as a Service

00:24:42 - Teaching New Employees the Language of Interconnection

00:28:39 - Carrier Neutral and Data Center Neutral Explained

00:31:22 - What Neutrality Has Meant for New York and Dallas

00:38:19 - Resilience, Redundancy, and Operational Risk

00:41:09 - Latency Is the New Currency

00:45:39 - Data Sovereignty, Security, and National Power

00:51:44 - What the Industry Is Still Underestimating

00:56:22 - Space Connectivity and the Digital Divide

01:01:01 - What Data Center Leaders Need to Hear

01:06:15 - Final Takeaway: Why This Industry Matters

References and External Links

DE-CIX corporate website: https://www.de-cix.net/en

DE-CIX North America: https://www.de-cix.net/en/north-america

DE-CIX Academy: https://www.de-cix.net/en/resources/de-cix-academy

Interconnection Academy: https://www.interconnectionacademy.net/

DE-CIX AI-IX press release: https://www.de-cix.net/en/about-de-cix/media/press-releases/de-cix-launches-worlds-first-fully-integrated-ai-internet-exchange-ai-ix-to-support-model-training-and-inference

DE-CIX neutrality study / US IX release: https://www.de-cix.net/en/about-de-cix/media/press-releases/80-of-us-internet-exchanges-are-now-data-center-and-carrier-neutral

DE-CIX Space IX: www.space-ix.net

Ivo Ivanov on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivo-ivanov-de-cix

 

Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!

For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com

Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters

Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcast@qtsdatacenters.com

Last year, I grabbed lunch with Rob Coyle and his son, Reid. While Reid was easily the most entertaining person at the table, the conversation regarding the Open Compute Project (OCP) stayed with me for months. We finally sat down in the studio to discuss how we facilitate the tools that will enable humanity to thrive. From 800-volt power to open standards for Artificial Intelligence (AI), we are exploring how to make the technology pie bigger for everyone. Because let's face it: secret sauce is overrated when you can feed the whole industry.

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Welcome & Rob’s BBQ Explanation of OCP

00:02:58 – The “Bigger Pie” Story That Sold Leadership

00:05:06 – Rob’s 10-Year Journey from Member to Foundation

00:07:48 – Core Mission: Multi-Vendor Ecosystem + Accelerating Innovation

00:09:04 – Safe, Fast Conversations: How OCP Actually Works

00:12:24 – Biggest Wins: 21-Inch Rack & Liquid Cooling

00:15:51 – Real Aha Moments at Events & Demos

00:21:53 – Why OCP Events Feel Different (Continuum of Innovation)

00:28:23 – Efficiency at the Core + Server Re-Engineering Story

00:33:13 – AI Shift: From Components to Full Open Systems

00:39:53 – 800-Volt Power & the New Power Distribution Project

00:55:22 – New Open Data Center for AI Initiative

01:01:48 – Surprise Conversation: Education & NIMBYs

01:07:25 – How Anyone (Even Students) Can Jump In for Free

01:14:44 – What Excites Rob Most About the Future

Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!

For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com

Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters

Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcast@qtsdatacenters.com

We spend all day worrying about supply chains, but what about the "people chain"? Jason Coe and I dive into military-grade mission focus, the future of raised floors, and why a project is only as good as the team running toward the fire. Tune in to the next QTS Experience.

Chapters:

00:00 - The Data Center Symphony: Relational over Commodity

09:13 - The Decade Shift: Evolution from 1MW to 100MW+

18:54 - Structural Ceilings and Raised Floors Explained

22:30 - The "People Chain": Why Caring is the New Critical Factor

24:43 - Plan B is Making Plan A Work

31:25 - Coordination vs. Communication: Why Teams Keep Failing

34:18 - Project Management: Dominating the Last 10%

41:13 - High Density vs. Raised Floors: Is the Role Dead?

55:08 - Leadership Philosophy: People Do What You Inspect

1:10:18 - Revitalizing Communities Through Data Center Infrastructure

1:19:46 - Vetting Partners: The "Get It" vs. "Don't Get It" Mental List

1:31:00 - Listening First: Connecting with the Local Community

Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!

For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com

Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters

Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcast@qtsdatacenters.com

Roy Illsley joins me to challenge the status quo of global data. We’re moving past "one-size-fits-all" clouds to an era of digital self-sufficiency. From why the US and EU are in a friendly race for autonomy to the bold prediction that our next data centers will be orbiting the Earth—don't get left behind.

References & Guest Links
Guest Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/royillsley/
Company Website: https://omdia.tech.informa.com/

Mentioned Organizations:
https://www.datacentercoalition.org/cpages/home
https://us.ovhcloud.com/
https://www.thalesgroup.com/en
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/

David Quirk joins me to unpack liquid cooling, AI infrastructure chaos, and why the data center industry might be losing—and rediscovering—its collaborative DNA. We talk standards, disruption, and what happens when innovation moves faster than certainty.

References Mentioned

ASHRAE TC 9.9: https://tpc.ashrae.org/?cmtKey=fd4a4ee6-96a3-4f61-8b85-43418dfa988d

ASHRAE Standard 90.4: https://www.ashrae.org/file%20library/about/government%20affairs/advocacy%20toolkit/virtual%20packet/standard-90.4-2022-fact-sheet.pdf

Guest Links

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-quirk-258b8b40/

Company: https://www.dlbassociates.com/

Nuclear is getting sexy again, and it’s all AI’s fault. I’m sitting down with Brian Smith to talk about why big tech is reopening Three Mile Island and why splitting atoms is the most exquisite way to power our digital future. Let's get glowing!

Guest & Company Links

• Guest: Brian Smith
• Company Website: Idaho National Laboratory

Studies & References

• Kairos Power & Google PPA: Partnership for reactor deployment in Tennessee.
• Crane Clean Energy Center: Microsoft/Constellation partnership to reopen Three Mile Island.
• Idaho National Laboratory (INL): Lead laboratory for Nuclear Energy Research.
• The Advance Act (2024): Federal legislation reforming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
• Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP): DOE public-private partnership initiative.