November 2025Katie Duttenhofer
Engineers Are Powering the AI Infrastructure Buildout
In 2025, the focus keyword “data center infrastructure buildout” defines one of the most significant transformations in technology and engineering. When OpenAI revealed that 30 companies have each processed more than one trillion tokens through its models, it was more than a milestone. It confirmed that artificial intelligence has moved beyond experimentation. It’s now fully embedded in how global businesses operate and is driving a massive surge in infrastructure projects across the United States and beyond.
At LVI Associates, we see this shift firsthand. Hyperscalers, developers, and engineering firms are investing heavily in new data centers and high-performance computing facilities. Projects that once took years to plan are now being fast-tracked to meet demand. This acceleration has created both opportunity and pressure. Companies are competing for a limited pool of experienced professionals who can deliver complex, large-scale projects on time and within budget.
Katie Duttenhofer, Principal Consultant at LVI Associates, summarizes this moment clearly:
AI isn’t a bubble; it’s a buildout. We are not in a temporary surge of interest that will fade. We are actively constructing the physical and operational foundation for decades of technology growth. And engineers are right at the heart of this effort. They design, build, integrate, and maintain the systems that turn AI from a concept into an operational reality. This is tangible progress that depends on people with deep technical expertise.
The scale of the buildout
AI is creating a scale of infrastructure demand the industry has never seen. Data center operators are building facilities that handle enormous compute power, with energy usage now comparable to that of entire cities. This has forced organizations to rethink how they design, finance, and execute projects.
We’re seeing projects double in size and complexity within a single development cycle. Many clients are looking for engineers who can manage multi-phase builds, navigate grid constraints, and integrate renewable energy into power-hungry systems. These are not incremental upgrades; they’re complete re-engineering efforts that define the next generation of technology infrastructure.
This level of growth raises an important question: how can companies maintain reliability and control costs as they scale? The answer lies in early planning and specialized leadership. Our consultants regularly advise clients to anticipate local permitting challenges, power access, and supply chain bottlenecks long before construction begins. Insights like our piece on the hidden timeline of data center builds help companies understand what to expect and how to avoid costly delays.
At LVI Associates, we connect organizations with engineers and project leaders who know how to plan and deliver under pressure, ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with AI’s rapid expansion.
Engineers define what comes next
AI’s success depends as much on physical systems as it does on algorithms. Electrical, mechanical, and systems engineers are the ones making it work. They design the power grids, cooling systems, and network frameworks that allow massive AI models to function in real time.
Across our client network, demand for highly specialized engineering skills is at record levels. Electrical engineers with expertise in high-voltage power distribution and redundancy design are some of the most sought-after professionals in the market. Mechanical engineers with advanced liquid-cooling or HVAC experience are essential for managing thermal output in GPU-heavy environments. Systems and network engineers are needed to design data pipelines that maintain efficiency and uptime across global sites.
Experience drives results
As the AI infrastructure market matures, experience has become the ultimate differentiator, and companies are prioritizing engineers who have already delivered mission-critical systems, where failure isn’t an option. With projects growing in complexity and budgets tightening, organizations need professionals who can anticipate risks and maintain uptime from day one.
This shift leads to a key question: how can companies attract and retain these high-value engineers? The answer is speed, clarity, and opportunity. Engineers with proven experience are fielding multiple offers, and companies that delay hiring decisions risk missing out. Competitive compensation is important, but so is professional development and exposure to cutting-edge technology.
LVI Associates helps both sides of the market succeed. We advise clients on salary benchmarks, hiring timelines, and market trends. We also guide engineers toward roles that align with their expertise and long-term goals. Many of the placements we make are for professionals moving into leadership positions where they can shape future projects while mentoring the next generation of talent.
The buildout’s real-world limits
Despite record investment, there are still practical limits to AI’s physical expansion. Power availability, sustainability mandates, and regulatory requirements are now shaping the pace of growth. Many organizations are asking how to expand responsibly while meeting environmental targets and maintaining operational reliability.
We’re seeing increasing demand for engineers who can balance innovation with sustainability. Projects that incorporate renewable energy sources, water-efficient cooling systems, or waste-heat recovery are progressing faster and securing approvals more easily. Engineers who understand both the technical and environmental sides of data center design are becoming essential hires.
Here at LVI Associates, we work with clients who are tackling these challenges every day. We help firms find professionals with the right mix of technical expertise and environmental awareness to build systems that perform efficiently and meet modern sustainability standards.
What companies should do now
For organizations investing in AI infrastructure:
- Plan for scale early. Build capacity, redundancy and energy access into project designs from the outset. For insights into early planning, read the hidden timeline of data center builds.
- Prioritise engineering leadership. Experienced electrical, mechanical and systems professionals should influence design and delivery decisions.
- Align infrastructure with business goals. Engineering systems must balance performance with cost and efficiency.
- Embed sustainability. Renewable energy, water efficiency and carbon management are now operational necessities.
- Act on reliability. AI operations depend on uptime; proactive maintenance and redundancy planning are essential.
- Hire strategically. Identify and engage experienced engineers early because the best talent is in high demand and moves quickly.
- Collaborate across teams. Data-center success depends on coordinated input from IT, facilities and operations.
We help companies achieve these objectives by providing tailored hiring strategies, market insights and access to specialist talent. Our consultants understand both the pace and complexity of AI infrastructure, enabling clients to make confident, informed hiring decisions. For detailed information on our expertise, visit our dedicated data centers expertise page.
From bubble talk to buildout reality
AI’s future depends on the systems being built today. The companies leading this new era are those that understand infrastructure isn’t just a support function; it’s the backbone of innovation. Engineers are the ones turning abstract algorithms into real-world capability, and their work defines how fast AI can scale and how reliable it can be.
At LVI Associates, we are proud to play a part in this transformation. Every day, we connect skilled engineers with the organizations shaping the next generation of technology.
If you are an engineer ready to take on your next data-center project, explore current roles or submit your resume today.
If you are a client looking to hire experienced professionals to lead or expand your data-center operations, request a call back to discuss how we can support your growth.
