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Leveraging data center operational data and AI-powered cooling control to enable integrated management of cooling, chiller, and liquid cooling systems
Daikin Industries, Ltd. ("Daikin") and NTT DATA Japan (NTT DATA) will begin a joint proof of concept (PoC) in July 2026 for a next-generation cooling optimization solution that uses AI to predict server thermal conditions and optimize cooling operations. The rapid adoption of generative AI has accelerated the deployment of AI servers. Compared with conventional servers, AI servers consume more power, generate greater heat, and experience larger workload fluctuations, making cooling efficiency a critical challenge for data center operators. The project will combine NTT DATA's data center operational expertise and correlation data between server behavior and cooling systems with Daikin's advanced control technologies for HVAC and chiller systems and its AI-based HVAC control technologies to jointly develop an AI model capable of predicting internal server thermal conditions. A key feature of the solution is its ability to predict internal server thermal conditions using indirect data, such as server power consumption and temperature information, even in environments where detailed internal server data cannot be directly accessed. Based on these predictions, the solution will enable integrated control of HVAC, chiller, and liquid cooling systems, thereby supporting stable system operation and optimized energy utilization. The companies will conduct validation testing at an NTT DATA data center in Japan during FY 2026 and aim to commercialize the solution in FY 2027.
The growing adoption of generative AI has accelerated deployment of high-performance AI servers across data centers worldwide. These servers consume considerably more power and generate greater heat than conventional servers, while their workloads can fluctuate significantly. As a result, traditional cooling strategies based on fixed operational rules or equipment-level optimization are becoming increasingly difficult to apply effectively. In many data centers, however, security and operational constraints limit access to detailed internal server information, such as processor temperatures and workload data. Consequently, cooling systems are often controlled using temperature sensors installed near server racks. Because ambient temperatures around servers do not always reflect actual thermal conditions inside the servers themselves, operators may be unable to accurately assess real-time heat generation and cooling requirements.
This can result in excessive cooling, increased energy consumption and electricity costs, or insufficient cooling that may affect system reliability. To address these challenges, Daikin and NTT DATA are launching a joint PoC for a next-generation cooling optimization solution that uses AI to predict server thermal conditions and enables integrated control of cooling infrastructure across the entire data center.
As part of the PoC, the companies will jointly develop an AI model that predicts server thermal conditions by leveraging NTT DATA's operational expertise and data on the relationship between server behavior and cooling performance, together with Daikin's cooling-system control technologies and AI-powered control capabilities. The companies will also work to establish a new cooling optimization approach that links AI-based thermal predictions with facility control systems.
From July 2026 through March 2027, the solution will be deployed at an NTT DATA data center in Japan to evaluate its effectiveness in improving energy efficiency, reducing electricity costs, and increasing the level of operational automation.
Figure: Conceptual Overview of the AI-Driven Next-Generation Cooling Optimization Solution
The initiative has three key features:
The AI model predicts server thermal conditions using indirect indicators such as power consumption and temperature data. Unlike conventional approaches that rely primarily on temperature sensors installed near servers, the AI learns relationships between server workloads and thermal behavior to estimate conditions that more closely reflect the actual state of servers.
Using AI-based thermal predictions, the solution enables coordinated control of HVAC, chiller, and liquid cooling systems. Rather than optimizing individual systems independently, the solution seeks to maximize cooling efficiency across the entire data center. This approach is expected to reduce overcooling while improving responsiveness to changing workloads.
The initiative combines NTT DATA's expertise in operating data centers across diverse environments and its data on the relationship between server behavior and cooling performance with Daikin's cooling-system control technologies and AI-powered control capabilities. By bringing together the strengths of both companies, the project aims to establish a new cooling optimization technology that connects server behavior with facility operations.
NTT DATA
Daikin
Through this joint PoC, Daikin and NTT DATA will further advance energy optimization technologies for cooling infrastructure and overall data center operations. During FY 2026, the companies will evaluate the accuracy of AI-based server thermal condition prediction and assess the effectiveness of integrated cooling system control in improving energy efficiency, reducing electricity costs, and enhancing operational automation. Based on the results of the PoC, the companies will further enhance the solution with the goal of commercial deployment in FY 2027. Looking ahead, the companies plan to expand the solution to data centers in Japan and other markets as a next-generation cooling solution designed for the AI era. The solution is expected to help data center operators lower electricity costs and improve operational efficiency while supporting ESG initiatives and contributing to a more sustainable society through reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
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