Turn video into action! Discover how Agentic AI & VLMs revolutionize security with smarter, proactive operations.   ​  ​Turn video into action! Discover how Agentic AI & VLMs revolutionize security with smarter, proactive operations. PowerScale Blog | Dell

Today, we are unveiling the next Fairwater site of Azure AI datacenters in Atlanta, Georgia. This purpose-built datacenter is connected to our first Fairwater site in Wisconsin, prior generations of AI supercomputers and the broader Azure global datacenter footprint to create the world’s first planet-scale AI superfactory. By packing computing power more densely than ever before, each Fairwater site is built to efficiently meet unprecedented demand for AI compute, push the frontiers of model intelligence and empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. To meet this demand, we have reinvented how we design AI datacenters and the systems we run inside of them. Fairwater is a departure from the traditional cloud datacenter model and uses a single flat network that can integrate hundreds of thousands of the latest NVIDIA GB200 and GB300 GPUs into a massive supercomputer. These innovations are a product of decades of experience designing datacenters and networks, as well as learnings from supporting some of the largest AI training jobs on the planet. While the Fairwater datacenter design is well suited for training the next generation of frontier models, it is also built with fungibility in mind. Training has evolved from a single monolithic job into a range of workloads with different requirements (such as pre-training, fine-tuning, reinforcement learning and synthetic data generation). Microsoft has deployed a dedicated AI WAN backbone to integrate each Fairwater site into a broader elastic system that enables dynamic allocation of diverse AI workloads and maximizes GPU utilization of the combined system. Below, we walk through some of the exciting technical innovations that support Fairwater, from the way we build datacenters to the networking within and across the sites. Maximum density of compute Modern AI infrastructure is increasingly constrained by the laws of physics. The speed of light is now a key bottleneck in our ability to tightly integrate accelerators, compute and storage with performant latency. Fairwater is designed to maximize the density of compute to minimize latency within and across racks and maximize system performance. One of the key levers for driving density is improving cooling at scale. AI servers in the Fairwater datacenters are connected to a facility-wide cooling system designed for longevity, with a closed-loop approach that reuses the liquid continuously after the initial fill with no evaporation. The water used in the initial fill is equivalent to what 20 homes consume in a year and is only replaced if water chemistry indicates it is needed (it is designed for 6-plus years), making it extremely efficient and sustainable. Liquid-based cooling also provides much higher heat transfer, enabling us to maximize rack and row-level power (~140kW per rack, 1,360 kW per row) to pack compute as densely as possible inside the datacenter. State-of-the-art cooling also helps us maximize utilization of this dense compute in steady-state operations, enabling large training jobs to run performantly at high scale. After cycling through a system of cold plate paths across the GPU fleet, heat is dissipated by one of the largest chiller plants on the planet. Rack level direct liquid cooling. Another way we are driving compute density is with a two-story datacenter building design. Many AI workloads are very sensitive to latency, which means cable run lengths can meaningfully impact cluster performance. Every GPU in Fairwater is connected to every other GPU, so the two-story datacenter building approach allows for placement of racks in three dimensions to minimize cable lengths, which in turn improves latency, bandwidth, reliability and cost. Two-story networking architecture. High-availability, low-cost power We are pushing the envelope in serving this compute with cost-efficient, reliable power. The Atlanta site was selected with resilient utility power in mind and is capable of achieving 4×9 availability at 3×9 cost. By securing highly available grid power, we can also forgo traditional resiliency approaches for the GPU fleet (such as on-site generation, UPS systems and dual-corded distribution), driving cost savings for customers and faster time-to-market for Microsoft. We have also worked with our industry partners to codevelop power-management solutions to mitigate power oscillations created by large scale jobs, a growing challenge in maintaining grid stability as AI demand scales. This includes a software-driven solution that introduces supplementary workloads during periods of reduced activity, a hardware-driven solution where the GPUs enforce their own power thresholds and an on-site energy storage solution to further mask power fluctuations without utilizing excess power. Cutting-edge accelerators and networking systems Fairwater’s world-class datacenter design is powered by purpose-built servers, cutting-edge AI accelerators and novel networking systems. Each Fairwater datacenter runs a single, coherent cluster of interconnected NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, with an advanced network architecture that can scale reliably beyond traditional Clos network limits with current-gen switches (hundreds of thousands of GPUs on a single flat network). This required innovation across scale-up networking, scale-out networking and networking protocol. In terms of scale-up, each rack of AI accelerators houses up to 72 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, connected via NVLink for ultra-low-latency communication within the rack. Blackwell accelerators provide the highest compute density available today, with support for low-precision number formats like FP4 to increase total FLOPS and enable efficient memory use. Each rack provides 1.8 TB of GPU-to-GPU bandwidth, with over 14 TB of pooled memory available to each GPU. Densely populated GPU racks with app driven networking. These racks then use scale-out networking to create pods and clusters that enable all GPUs to function as a single supercomputer with minimal hop counts. We achieve this with a two-tier, ethernet-based backend network that supports massive cluster sizes with 800 Gbps GPU-to-GPU connectivity. Relying on a broad ethernet ecosystem and SONiC (Software for Open Network in the Cloud – which is our own operating system for our network switches) also helps us avoid vendor lock-in and manage cost, as we can use commodity hardware instead of proprietary solutions. Improvements across packet trimming, packet spray and high-frequency telemetry are core components of our optimized AI network. We are also working to enable deeper control and optimization of network routes. Together, these

Across every industry, leaders are asking: How can AI be used to fundamentally transform our business? At the forefront are Frontier firms — empowering human ambition and finding AI-first differentiation in everything to maximize their potential and impact on society. These firms are redefining what’s possible and setting the pace for the future. To better understand this transformation, Microsoft commissioned a global study with the International Data Corporation (IDC) of more than 4,000 business leaders responsible for AI decisions. The findings reveal 68% of these companies are using AI today but the real difference lies in how they’re using it. Frontier firms, the ones leading in AI Transformation, report they are achieving returns that are three times higher than slow adopters. What sets Frontier firms apart Their success goes beyond efficiency and productivity at scale, driving growth, expansion and industry leadership in a new AI-powered economy. Based on the IDC study, Microsoft has identified five key lessons learned in becoming a Frontier firm and how organizations can transform their business with AI. #1 EXPANDING AI IMPACT ACROSS EVERY BUSINESS FUNCTION On average Frontier firms are using AI across seven business functions. Over 70% are using AI in customer service, marketing, IT, product development and cybersecurity. These functions benefit from AI’s ability to automate workflows, generate content and detect anomalies in real time. This broad adoption is translating into measurable business impact: Frontier firms report better outcomes at a rate that is 4X greater than slow adopters across brand differentiation (87%), cost efficiency (86%), top-line growth (88%) and customer experience (85%). BlackRock is transforming its investment lifecycle with Microsoft AI integrated into its Aladdin platform. Embedded across 20 apps and used by tens of thousands of users, AI tools help client relationship managers save hours per client by generating personalized briefs and opportunity analyses, while portfolio managers access real-time analytics and research summaries through Aladdin Copilot. The result is faster insights, improved data quality and enhanced risk management; helping BlackRock and its clients gain an advantage while enhancing client service, compliance and portfolio management. #2: UNLOCKING INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC VALUE While many organizations start their AI journey with personal productivity gains like automating tasks and improving efficiency, Frontier firms are moving further, deploying AI for strategic, industry-specific applications. According to the study, 67% are monetizing industry-specific AI use cases to boost revenue. Industries at the forefront of this transformation include financial services, healthcare and manufacturing. Each is finding powerful, practical ways to apply AI to its most complex challenges. In financial services, organizations are strengthening fraud detection, accelerating transaction reconciliation and elevating customer support. In healthcare, it is helping clinicians generate accurate documentation, assist in diagnostics and deliver more personalized care. In manufacturing, AI is driving predictive maintenance, optimizing production schedules and automating quality inspections. Mercedes-Benz is scaling AI across its global production network to advance automotive innovation, stabilize supply chain volatility, simplify production complexity and meet sustainability demands. Its MO360 data platform connects more than 30 car plants worldwide to the Microsoft Cloud for real-time data access, global optimization and analytics. The Digital Factory Chatbot Ecosystem uses a multi-agent system to empower employees with collaborative insights. Paint Shop AI leverages machine learning simulations to diagnose efficiency declines and reduce energy consumption of the buildings and machines — including 20% energy savings in the Rastatt paint shop — and NVIDIA Omniverse on Azure powers digital twins for agile planning and continuous improvement. #3: BUILDING CUSTOM AI SOLUTIONS FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Today, 58% of Frontier firms are using custom AI solutions. Custom AI solutions allow businesses to embed proprietary knowledge, tone and compliance into every interaction. They can be fine-tuned on proprietary data or industry-specific knowledge, enabling higher accuracy in predictions or content generation and better alignment with business goals and compliance needs. Within the next 24 months, 77% of Frontier firms plan to use custom AI solutions. This reflects a growing trend that AI leaders are layering in deeper strategic integrations of AI across their business. As customers seek to use AI more to shop and search for products, luxury lifestyle company Ralph Lauren developed a personal, frictionless, inspirational and accessible solution to blend fashion with cutting-edge AI. Working with Microsoft, Ralph Lauren developed Ask Ralph: an AI-powered conversational tool providing styling tips and outfit recommendations from across the Polo Ralph Lauren brand. Powered by Azure OpenAI, the AI tool uses a natural language search engine to adapt dynamically to specific language inputs and interpret user intent to improve accuracy. It supports complex queries with exploratory or nuanced information needs with contextual understanding; and can discern tone, satisfaction and intent to refine recommendations. The tool also picks up on cues like location-based insights or event-driven needs. With Ask Ralph, customers can now reimagine how they shop online by putting the brand’s unique and iconic take on style right into their own hands. #4: AGENTIC AI: THE NEW DIFFERENTIATOR FOR BUSINESS LEADERS Agentic AI — systems that can reason, plan and act with human guidance — is fast becoming the next defining capability of Frontier organizations. In the next two years, IDC estimates the number of companies using agentic AI will triple. Leaders today face a familiar challenge — teams are operating at full capacity, yet the demand for innovation and impact continues to grow. That’s where AI agents come in. In finance, they can surface real-time insights, provide policy guidance, review deal documents and assist in sourcing suppliers. In sales, agents are becoming always-on teammates — building pipelines, unifying insights across CRM systems, meetings, emails and the web and helping sellers qualify leads and draft personalized outreach. In customer service, AI agents can manage cases, maintain knowledge accuracy and interpret customer intent. Dow is using agents to automate the shipping invoice analysis process and streamline its global supply chain to unlock new efficiencies and value. Receiving more than 100,000 shipping invoices via PDF each year, Dow built an autonomous agent in Copilot Studio to scan for billing inaccuracies and surface them in a dashboard for employee review. Using Freight Agent — a

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Across the globe, organizations like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg, are using AI solutions and services within their infrastructure and workflows to achieve breakthroughs that affect lives every day.   ​  ​Across the globe, organizations like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg, are using AI solutions and services within their infrastructure and workflows to achieve breakthroughs that affect lives every day. Customer Blog | Dell

Dell named 2025 IT Brand Pulse Market and Innovation Leader for File and Object Storage for AI—powering the Dell AI Factory with scalable, efficient performance for modern GPU-driven workloads.   ​  ​Dell named 2025 IT Brand Pulse Market and Innovation Leader for File and Object Storage for AI—powering the Dell AI Factory with scalable, efficient performance for modern GPU-driven workloads. Awards Blog | Dell

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Dell has been recognized as a leader in the latest IDC MarketScape Worldwide Private AI Infrastructure Systems Vendor Assessment.   ​  ​Dell has been recognized as a leader in the latest IDC MarketScape Worldwide Private AI Infrastructure Systems Vendor Assessment. AI Solutions Blog | Dell

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Discover how Ericsson Integrated Core on Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks transforms Core deployment and operations.   ​  ​Discover how Ericsson Integrated Core on Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks transforms Core deployment and operations. Telecommunications Blog | Dell

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Discover why now is the perfect time to upgrade. Dell AI PCs unlock the full potential of the new Windows 11 Copilot era with faster, smarter performance.   ​  ​Discover why now is the perfect time to upgrade. Dell AI PCs unlock the full potential of the new Windows 11 Copilot era with faster, smarter performance. Dell Pro Blog | Dell

Protect, connect and empower your teams with resilient security for every device, everywhere.   ​  ​Protect, connect and empower your teams with resilient security for every device, everywhere. Endpoint Security Blog | Dell

Discover how Edge AI powers real-time decisions at the data source, driving enterprise progress and boosting profitability.   ​  ​Discover how Edge AI powers real-time decisions at the data source, driving enterprise progress and boosting profitability. Computer Vision Blog | Dell

Step inside Cosm and see how it is transforming sports, cinema and events into epic, immersive experiences in collaboration with Dell Technologies.   ​  ​Step inside Cosm and see how it is transforming sports, cinema and events into epic, immersive experiences in collaboration with Dell Technologies. Customer Blog | Dell