Jeongtaek Ahn, Leader of the Big Tech BU, Delivers Lecture on “Architectural Challenges in the Era of AI Data Centers”
On Tuesday, June 30, the “2026 City and Space Forum,” hosted by The Korea Economic Daily, was held at the CG Art Hall in the Construction Hall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
Marking its sixth year, this forum, themed “A Major Paradigm Shift: AI City,” featured a variety of discussions on the changes AI technology will bring to cities and spaces, as well as human-centered connectivity and convergence.
The keynote address was delivered by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto (Principal of Sou Fujimoto Architects), who designed the “Grand Ring”—the symbol of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo—on the topic of “The Relationship Between Nature, Architecture, and the Environment Created by Humans.” Architect Fujimoto emphasized that, especially in the age of AI, architecture must focus on human essence rather than the pace of technology. He argued that spatial design—which bridges tradition and modernity, as well as nature and technology—is the core role of architecture in creating spaces where people can share communal experiences. The subsequent panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Ji-Yun Kim (Ph.D. in Political Science, MIT), delved deeply into the future direction of AI City.
During the third session of the forum, Mr. Ahn Jeong-taek, leader of the Big Tech BU, delivered a presentation titled “Architectural Challenges in the Era of AI Data Centers.” Mr. Ahn proposed that data centers should be redefined as “urban infrastructure that produces intelligence,” rather than merely facilities for storing information, and presented a “symbiotic infrastructure” approach that involves planning integrated energy systems from the earliest stages of architectural design.
In the Press
[2026 City and Space Forum] Cities Analyze, Decide, and Solve Problems on Their Own… The Era of “AI Cities” Is Upon Us
[2026 City and Space Forum] (3) “Integrated Energy Systems… Symbiotic Infrastructure for Buildings and Power Grids”
