Podcast4Engineers

AI may run on data, but its future depends just as much on power. In the eighth and final episode of the "We Power AI" series on Podcast4Engineers, host Kelsey Markl welcomes Andreas Weisl, CSO of the Industrial and Infrastructure Sales segment at Infineon, to look beyond the data center and explore the global race to build the power infrastructure needed for the AI era. Drawing on his experience across major transformations in lighting, automotive, and industrial markets, Andreas shares what past technology shifts can teach us about the transition ahead and why successful transformation requires much more than breakthrough technology alone. Together, they examine how different regions are responding to rapidly growing electricity demand, why aging and constrained grids are becoming a critical challenge, and how technologies such as silicon carbide, GaN, solid-state transformers, energy storage, and intelligent power systems can help create more efficient and reliable infrastructure. The discussion also looks beyond cloud AI toward the next frontier: physical AI, robotics, autonomous systems, and intelligent machines at the edge. As the "We Power AI" series comes to a close, this episode connects the dots between AI, electrification, semiconductors, and the energy systems that will power the next wave of technological transformation.

As AI data centers push server power to unprecedented levels - reaching 600 kilowatts by 2027 and potentially megawatt-scale by the 2030s - the challenge of keeping these systems cool has never been more critical. In this episode of "We Power AI" on Podcast4Engineers, host Kelsey Markl sits down with Muzaffer Albayrak, Application Marketing Manager at Infineon, to explore the evolving world of data center cooling technologies. Together, they break down the shift from traditional air cooling to advanced liquid cooling methods, including direct-to-chip cooling, rear door heat exchangers, and immersion cooling, while examining the crucial role of Power Usage Efficiency (PUE) in measuring data center performance. The conversation dives into the semiconductor solutions - from silicon to wide-bandgap materials like silicon carbide and GaN - that power the fans, pumps, and inverters keeping these massive systems from overheating. Whether you're curious about cooling distribution units, centralized cooling architectures, or the future of AI infrastructure, this episode offers essential insights into one of the most pressing engineering challenges in the AI revolution.

AI data centers are driving power demands to levels that are forcing engineers to rethink how electricity is distributed and protected. In this episode of Podcast4Engineers, Peter Balint talks with Infineon distinguished engineer Leo Aichriedler about the shift from traditional AC systems toward high-voltage DC distribution and the role of solid-state circuit breakers. They explore why semiconductor-based breakers can isolate faults up to 1,000 times faster, how higher voltages and increasingly complex power grids affect protection systems, and why speed, reliability, selectivity and power density matter. The conversation also looks ahead to commercialization, standardization and the rapidly evolving role of solid-state protection as AI data centers accelerate the adoption of DC power.

In this episode of Podcast4Engineers, host Peter Balint speaks with Nancy Wang, Director of Application Marketing for UPS at Infineon, about why backup power is becoming a critical enabler of AI infrastructure. They explore how AI data centers are driving new approaches to uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), distributed battery backup, high-voltage DC architectures, and layered energy storage to meet increasingly dynamic power demands. The discussion also looks ahead to how future data centers will evolve from passive energy consumers into active participants in the power grid, making intelligent power management just as important as computing performance.

In this episode of Podcast4Engineers, host Peter Balint speaks with Valerio Zerillo about the growing role of Solid-State Transformers (SSTs) in powering AI-driven data centers. The discussion explores how traditional low-frequency transformers are reaching their limits due to increasing power demands, space constraints, and scalability challenges. Valerio explains how SSTs leverage advanced power semiconductors, silicon carbide, gallium nitride technologies, and intelligent control systems to deliver higher efficiency, flexibility, and reduced footprint. The episode also looks ahead to the future of power infrastructure, including medium-voltage DC grids and the integration of renewable energy sources to support next-generation AI and high-power applications.