AI Infrastructure Predictions Round-Up - What 2026 Will Demand
RCR Wireless, Friday, December 19th, 2025
Predictions from Zayo, Digital Infrastructure, and Mission Critical Group about what to expect from AI infrastructure in 2026
As AI workloads scale and infrastructure cycles compress, the pressure on networks, power systems, and physical deployment models is intensifying. By 2026, industry leaders expect competitive advantage to hinge less on raw compute and more on how intelligently infrastructure can be designed, connected, secured, and evolved.
Executives from Zayo, Digital Infrastructure, and Mission Critical Group outline how AI-driven security, network-centric architectures, long-haul fiber consolidation, power system adaptability, and regulatory and labor constraints will shape the next phase of AI infrastructure. RCR has compiled their predictions below.