The government will use 'design power' as the criterion to distinguish artificial intelligence data centers (AIDC) from general data centers (DC), rather than area or the number of servers. This approach will consider the installation of AI accelerators, power density per rack, and the ratio and scale of power used by AI equipment.
On September 9, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) held a public discussion on AIDC regulations at Nuri Dream Square in Mapo, Seoul.
The government outlined three criteria for AIDC recognition: the installation of AI accelerators such as graphics processing units (GPU) and neural processing units (NPU), securing the necessary power and cooling systems for the accelerators, and meeting the required ratio or scale of power used by AI equipment.
The government plans to base AIDC classification on design power rather than actual usage, as it is difficult to determine actual consumption during the construction phase, and co-location facilities may have varying equipment configurations among tenants. A member of the regulatory research team stated, 'One rack alone cannot determine the entire facility, so we will also consider the power of the facility as a whole.'
Specific criteria have yet to be established. Some industry representatives suggested that AIDCs should have a minimum of 100 kilowatts (kW) per rack.
Additionally, the government aims to find a baseline that prevents existing or under-construction AIDCs from being excluded, while also avoiding situations where general DCs receive special exemptions for installing only some accelerators. To ensure that NPUs, which consume relatively less power, are not disadvantaged, the government is considering varying minimum power density requirements based on the type and configuration of accelerators.
During the discussion, concerns were raised that overly specific definitions of AIDC could lead to disputes during inter-agency consultations and the application of exemptions. A member of the research team suggested, 'We can identify DCs utilizing AI based solely on power scale and equipment configuration,' emphasizing the need for a certain level of 'strategic ambiguity' in the definitions.
There were also calls to minimize the details required in the application forms. A research team member noted, 'If we demand excessive detail about operational purposes and equipment configurations in the application, disputes may arise regarding the appropriateness of exemptions after business changes,' particularly in co-location scenarios where the construction and operating entities may differ, and the original plans may change.
KT Cloud pointed out that co-location should be viewed as a service industry. A KT Cloud representative stated, 'Various stakeholders, including asset management firms, investors, and construction companies, are involved in AIDC projects. Since actual co-location is closer to DC service operations, the special law should clearly define the scope of the businesses it protects and supports.'
The government plans to announce a draft of the regulations after gathering opinions and consulting with relevant agencies. Key figures such as minimum power density per rack, the ratio and total power of AI equipment, and design power ratios will be included in the proposed regulations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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