Julie Sweet Declares Data Centers ’Critical National Asset’ for AI Expansion at Davos 2026

Data centers aren't just server farms—they're the new strategic oil reserves. That's the message Accenture CEO Julie Sweet hammered home at the World Economic Forum in Davos, framing digital infrastructure as the non-negotiable bedrock of the AI arms race.

The Power Grid for Intelligence

Forget quaint talk of 'cloud computing.' Sweet's framing elevates data centers to the level of national security. She argues raw computational power—the physical racks, chips, and cooling systems—determines which nations lead in artificial intelligence. No infrastructure, no innovation. It's a zero-sum game for technological sovereignty.

Capital Chases Kilowatts

The implication? A tsunami of public and private capital must flood into building these 'critical assets.' We're talking energy grids, semiconductor supply chains, and real estate all retooled to feed the AI beast. Expect subsidies, fast-tracked permits, and the kind of geopolitical maneuvering usually reserved for rare earth minerals. Wall Street, ever the opportunist, is already repackaging data center debt into shiny new ETFs—because nothing says 'national priority' like a healthy fee structure.

The Bottom Line

Sweet's Davos declaration is a watershed. It moves the conversation from abstract algorithms to concrete, sweat-and-steel infrastructure. The nations that build, and own, the foundational layer of compute will dictate the next decade of economic and military power. Everyone else is just renting space.

Accenture Research has been training staff in new tech skills for years now

Earlier this month, Accenture struck a deal to buy Faculty, a British artificial intelligence company, as it seeks to position itself as a technology frontrunner. The firm has also been retraining staff in new technologies while phasing out employees who fail to adapt since 2019.

Sweet shared, “Technology is a basic skill now. And once you start making that investment, people get less scared about their jobs because they know you’re invested in making sure they can do the next jobs.”

Sweet also pointed out that designing new entry-level jobs requires educational support and cooperation with schools and universities, and that such efforts are still in the initial stages. Her statements come in the wake of Nvidia Jensen Huang’s Davos comments that the AI surge will allow plumbers, electricians, and construction workers to earn six-figure incomes building data centers.

Sweet also said that the critical error for CEOs is treating AI as a target in its own right rather than aligning it with their company’s goals, noting that their business strategy should come first.

Sweet noted that business leaders are seeing AI as more than just a cost-cutting tool

Sweet also told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos that an increasing number of executives now view AI as a growth driver rather than merely a cost-reduction tool, adding that she is optimistic about agentic commerce and other AI applications.

A Pulse of Change survey by Accenture Research found that most leaders see AI as a tool for growth, with revenue gains outweighing its cost-saving potential. She asserted, “Companies are led by humans, and they will win by tapping into human creativity, adding that the best AI future WOULD be using technology as a tool rather than relegating people to a supporting role. Sweet argued that being a “human in the loop” isn’t particularly inspiring for people.

In Accenture’s survey, 83% of non-executive employees believe their companies would continue investing in AI in ways that benefit both staff and business results, regardless of an AI downturn. However, the survey found that only one in five respondents feels they are actively helping shape how AI changes work.

Even fewer—17%—said they enjoy using it and exploring new applications. Sweet also acknowledged that while many employees use AI in their personal lives, there is still considerable anxiety about it in the workplace.

Late last year, the Accenture executive had insisted that it would take at least a few years for most companies to MOVE beyond the slow, hard phase of artificial intelligence. At the time, she explained that most business leaders and processes need to change to bolster the technology.

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