Survey: Most firms unprepared for AI-driven data storage surge
A Seagate study of 2,712 enterprise technology decision-makers across seven countries finds that 99% expect AI to increase storage needs, with 32% anticipating growth exceeding 50%. However, only 38% say their infrastructure is ready for that demand, leaving 62% unprepared. The report highlights a widening gap between AI adoption and the underlying data infrastructure required to support it.
The survey, conducted by Recon Analytics across seven countries including the US, China, India, and the UK, polled 2,712 enterprise technology decision-makers during May and June 2026. Beyond raw storage projections, respondents identified data quality and readiness as the most common AI deployment obstacle at 53%, followed closely by storage infrastructure at 43% — both far outpacing compute availability and energy constraints.
The findings arrive as 86% of organizations report moderate or significant returns on AI investments, with 98% agreeing that AI elevates storage into a strategic business asset. Data center investment now ranks among the top three infrastructure priorities for 76% of firms, reflecting a shift from the compute-centric AI conversation toward storage and data management concerns.
This readiness gap could create uneven AI outcomes across industries, with smaller enterprises lacking capital for infrastructure upgrades potentially falling behind larger competitors better positioned to absorb storage costs. Consumers may indirectly experience the effects through service pricing or data-handling practices as organizations scramble to expand capacity. The reported energy constraints suggest environmental impacts could grow as data centers multiply, though sustainable scaling approaches may mitigate some pressure.