New Fiber Broadband Association Paper Highlights Fiber as a Key Enabler for Data Center and AI Growth

New Fiber Broadband Association Paper Highlights Fiber as a Key Enabler for Data Center and AI Growth 

Paper explores how emerging regions, AI demand, and hyperscale data centers are driving fiber deployment nationwide  

WASHINGTON, D.C.— (February 11, 2026)—The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) today released a new paper, The Evolving Data Center Market,  which looks at how fiber broadband underpins the U.S. data center market and enables expansion into new regions.  

With over 5,000 data centers operating across the country, demand for cloud services, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) is driving unprecedented growth. Traditionally concentrated in hubs like Northern Virginia, Silicon Valley, and parts of Texas, developers are now turning to secondary markets, rural regions, and edge locations as land costs, power availability, and congestion in established markets increase. These emerging regions depend on robust fiber infrastructure to deliver scalable and reliable operations.    

“Fiber connectivity offers unmatched capacity, low latency, and scalability—qualities essential for powering hyperscale AI applications, quantum computing, and distributed data center networks,” said Deborah Kish, Vice President of Research & Workforce Development at FBA. “Communities and providers that invest in fiber today are positioning themselves to capture economic opportunity, attract new businesses, and enable the next generation of technology innovation.”   

The paper highlights the economic impact for rural communities, where fiber deployment often coincides with available land and power resources. Data centers can serve as anchors for construction activity, technical jobs, and long-term operations roles, while cooperative-owned utilities and rural ISPs are increasingly partnering with developers to support new facilities. High-profile investments, like the Corning-Meta partnership, demonstrate how fiber deployment fuels domestic manufacturing, job creation, and regional economic growth, particularly in states with existing fiber infrastructure. 

Fiber also plays a central role in enabling today’s AI-driven economy. At Fiber Connect 2026, the FBA will explore this evolving landscape during The AI and Emerging Technology Infrastructure Summit on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. The summit will bring together leading AI innovators, quantum experts, and technology futurists to discuss how the unlimited capacity of fiber broadband unlocks new possibilities for innovation and discovery. This discussion will illustrate how fiber infrastructure supports not just data centers, but the broader AI-enabled economy.   

The summit kicks off with a keynote by noted futurist and theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku, author of Quantum Supremacy: How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything. Dr. Kaku will,” explore how quantum computing may accelerate AI development and help address some of humanity’s biggest challenges, including global warming, world hunger, and healthcare innovation. 

Additional sessions throughout Fiber Connect 2026 will build on the paper’s findings, including: 

• Deployment Best Practices and Outside Plant Tracks: Sessions on building fiber to support AI and edge compute, leveraging federal programs, and overcoming construction roadblocks will provide actionable insights for service providers and community networks seeking to scale effectively.   

• Hyperscale Data Center & Evolving Edge (May 19): Panels and fireside chats on fiber connectivity for AI, edge computing, and hyperscale facilities will examine how high-speed, low-latency networks support data center interconnections and reduce power requirements. 

Fiber Connect 2026 takes place May 17-20 at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Florida. Learn more and register here. Subscribe to FBA’s Fiber Forward Weekly newsletter here to stay updated on the latest industry news.