# Episode 79: Not Your Grandfathers Data Center

- Show: [The Circuit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit)
- Published: 2024-08-14
- Length: 40m
- Episode: 80
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-14-episode-79-not-your-grandfathers-data-center
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/0ad9aec0

## Summary

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent volatility in the semiconductor stock market, attributing it to a 'bubble over' rather than fundamental shifts, while noting that AI's benefits are unevenly distributed. They analyze the evolving architecture of AI data centers, arguing that power constraints and liquid cooling requirements are forcing a shift from air-cooled racks to new designs with higher GPU-to-CPU ratios. The hosts also examine the automotive semiconductor sector, highlighting weak demand driven by high EV inventory in China and the divergence between analog and digital cyclicality.

## Chapters

- [0:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-14-episode-79-not-your-grandfathers-data-center#t=5) Market Volatility and AI's Uneven Blessing
- [6:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-14-episode-79-not-your-grandfathers-data-center#t=379) Investor Sentiment and Data Center Power Constraints
- [16:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-14-episode-79-not-your-grandfathers-data-center#t=968) Wattage Dictating Data Center Design and GPU Shift
- [26:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-14-episode-79-not-your-grandfathers-data-center#t=1565) Automotive Semiconductor Weakness and EV Inventory
- [33:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-14-episode-79-not-your-grandfathers-data-center#t=1985) Nvidia Blackwell Delays and Packaging Challenges

## Topics

- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Nvidia (company)
- AMD (company)
- Super Micro (company)
- Intel (company)
- Indie Semiconductor (company)
- Qualcomm (company)
- Blackwell (product)
- GB 200 (product)
- Hopper (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Interview: AMD CTO Papermaster | Interview: Imagination CEO Black | Where to Invest in 2020](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2020-01-24-interview-amd-cto-papermaster-interview-imagination-ceo-black-where-to-invest-in) (EE Times Current)
- [Smart Air, Smarter Cooling: Actasys's Innovation in Data Center Technology](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2025-02-10-smart-air-smarter-cooling-actasyss-innovation-in-data-center-technology) (Over the Air)
- [Designing the AI Factory from the Rack Up](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-08-21-designing-the-ai-factory-from-the-rack-up) (EE Times Current)
- [All Heat, No Useful Work](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-05-25-all-heat-no-useful-work) (The Amp Hour)
- [Monte Carlo Formula E Race | Trade War: China’s View | AI @ Hot Chips](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-05-31-monte-carlo-formula-e-race-trade-war-chinas-view-ai-hot-chips) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-14-episode-79-not-your-grandfathers-data-center. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Circuit.