As the rise of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and new digital applications accelerates the demand for digital infrastructure, data centers now play a strategic role in digital sovereignty, economic competitiveness, and regional development. However, their establishment raises new challenges related to energy, the environment, land-use planning, and local acceptance. This roundtable will bring together industry stakeholders and regional representatives to discuss the conditions necessary for making data center projects fully integrated and value-creating for their regions.

• New challenges related to data center development: growing digital needs, the rise of artificial intelligence, energy challenges, and public perception.
• The conditions for successful development in local communities: dialogue with local governments, land selection, urban and landscape integration, and local consultation.
• The Role of Data Centers in Regional Attractiveness and Economic Development: Jobs, Investment, Digital Sovereignty, and Contributions to Local Ecosystems.
• Ways to increase public acceptance of projects: education, transparency, anticipating local expectations, and building a lasting relationship of trust between public and private stakeholders.
• Best practices for fostering shared regional projects: commitments from operators, cooperation with local governments, and value creation beyond digital infrastructure alone.