Building the Digital Backbone of the Future: Brookfield’s AI Infrastructure Strategy

The Core Thesis: Infrastructure Is the Bottleneck

AI is only as strong as the compute and energy that feed it.The rapid adoption of large language models, generative AI, and AI-driven analytics has triggered an unprecedented demand for:

- Data centers built for AI workloads (high-density GPU clusters)

- Liquid cooling systems to manage extreme heat output

- Fiber optic networks to move data at near-instant speeds

- Stable, clean power to meet massive, 24/7 energy needs

Brookfield’s strategy is to own and operate these critical assets globally, locking in decades of recurring revenue via long-term contracts with hyperscalers, AI labs, and cloud providers.

They already have over 2 GW of existing data center capacity developed and are targeting GPU infrastructure as a service through long-term contracts, helping clients avoid heavy capital expenditures. [1][2]

The Big Moves

Brookfield’s AI Infrastructure push is not theoretical, they’ve committed to tens of billions in real projects.

🇫🇷 France: €20 Billion AI Infrastructure Program

- Lead player: Data4 (Brookfield portfolio company)

Commitment: €20 billion by 2030

- €15 billion → AI-optimized data centers (triple existing 500 MW capacity)

- €5 billion → supporting infrastructure like chip storage, transmission lines, and advanced cooling systems

- Impact: Positions France as a European AI hub, reducing reliance on U.S. data infrastructure. [3][4][5]

🇸🇪 Sweden: $10 Billion AI Data Center Mega-Campus

- Location: Strängnäs, Sweden

- Capacity: Up to 750 MW (among the largest AI-dedicated campuses in Europe)

- Timeline: Built in phases over 10–15 years

- Why Sweden? Access to renewable hydropower and a cool climate, reducing operational costs for GPU cooling. [6][7]

Global Digital Infrastructure Portfolio

Over $100 billion invested in:

- Telecom towers

- Fiber optics

- Data centers

- This forms the “plumbing” for global AI deployment.

Energy Partnerships: Powering the AI Revolution

AI data centers are energy gluttons, one hyperscale AI facility can consume as much power as a mid-sized city. Brookfield is tackling this with massive renewable energy deals:

- Microsoft Partnership:Deliver 10.5 GW of renewable energy (wind, solar, hydro) in Europe & U.S. between 2026–2030.

- Google Hydro Agreement:$3 billion deal for 3 GW of clean baseload hydroelectric power in the U.S.

These agreements allow tech giants to meet AI compute demands while hitting carbon neutrality goals.

The Market Outlook: $7 Trillion Opportunity

Brookfield estimates AI infrastructure demand could exceed $7 trillion in the next decade:

CategoryEst. Investment NeedSemiconductor fabs & chips$4TAI-dedicated data centers$2TPower & transmission$500BCooling, fiber, robotics$500B

By 2034, they forecast:

- 75 GW of new AI-capable data center capacity

- GPU count rising from 7 million → 45 million

Summary Table

AreaDescriptionCore StrategyDedicated AI infrastructure investments: data centers, chip storage, telecom, cooling, fiber, etc.France Program€20B total (Data4-led data centers + support infrastructure) by 2030Sweden Project~US$10B for a 750 MW AI data center in Strängnäs over 10–15 yearsDigital Infra BaseOver $100B already invested in telecom towers, data centers, fiber opticsRenewable Energy10.5 GW with Microsoft; $3B hydro with Google (3 GW)Macro Forecast$7T in total AI infrastructure demand through 2034; 75 GW new capacity

Why This Matters

Brookfield’s strategy is model-agnostic, they profit whether OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, or some yet-unknown startup dominates the AI space.By controlling the foundational infrastructure, they are effectively toll collectors on the AI superhighway.

References:

- https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/brookfield-asset-management-to-launch-dedicated-strategy-for-ai-data-centers

- https://completeaitraining.com/news/brookfield-asset-management-launches-dedicated-ai-data

- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/brookfield-asset-management-and-french-government-announce-eu20-billion-investment-ai

- www.connectcre.ca/stories/brookfield-asset-management-signals-additional-large-data-centre-investments

- https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/technology/2025/02/brookfield-asset-management-eyes-ai-investments-as-infrastructure-demand-soars

- https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/brookfield-pledges-up-to-10-billion-for-ai-data-center-in-sweden-7b35d879

- https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/brookfield-plans-to-spend-10bn-on-a-swedish-ai-data-center