These are boom times for conferences about data centers and AI. In a time of Big, Fast, Change, industry events provide essential education and networking for the many folks who are new to the data center sector.

One of the largest events on the conference schedule is Data Center World, which gets underway next week in Washington, D.C. We sat down with Bill Kleyman, the Executive Chairman of Data Center World, to talk about the growth of conferences, and their important role in the industry.

Bill has LOTS to share about the scope and agenda for Data Center World, and shares highlights from the AFCOM State of the Data Center Report. Bill is an old friend and colleague, and you'll appreciate the energy and insight he brings to our discussion.

Here's an overview of my talk with Bill Kleyman:

00:00 - The Data Center Conference Boom

02:25 - Meet Bill Kleyman, Data Center World Goes Global

08:30 - Building an Event Agenda Amid a Firehose of Change

12:00 - The State of the Data Center 2026 Report Highlights

22:00 - Rich's Take on the Report's Top Trends

28:30 - Hot Sessions for DCW Attendees

32:20 - A New Era for Data Center Security Concerns

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At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years.

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LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

Data Center World 2026 https://datacenterworld.com/

The New Front Line: Securing Data Centers in the AI Era https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/security-and-risk-management/the-new-front-line-securing-data-centers-in-the-ai-era

State of the Data Center 2026 Executive Summary https://afcom.com/news/720973/WHITEPAPER--State-of-the-Data-Center-2026-Executive-Summary.htm

Apolo - Bill's day job ... he is the CEO https://www.apolo.us/

Bill Kleyman on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/billkleyman/

Rich Miller on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

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All video by Data Center Richness.

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx