Nvidia has set out plans to move AI data centres to an 800-volt direct current (VDC) power architecture, arguing traditional AC-based power distribution cannot keep pace with the density demands of next-generation compute, the company said on 11 August 2026.
Nvidia, Google and Microsoft have developed the 800 VDC standard together through the Open Compute Project, publishing a joint white paper in March 2026 and a transformer specification in July 2026. More than 80 equipment and infrastructure companies are now building products to the specification.
For facilities already built around AC infrastructure, Nvidia's MGX-compatible 800 VDC power rack, arriving in the second half of 2026, is designed to slot into existing electrical systems without requiring building-level changes. Nvidia vice president Vladimir Troy said the architecture gives AI factories "a practical path forward, not just a future vision," through the OCP ecosystem.
Nvidia laid out a longer-term roadmap beyond the power rack, including a row power center supporting up to 2 megawatts per rack row, expected in 2027, and a facility-scale DC power block for new builds that converts grid power directly to 800 VDC.
The push comes as Wood Mackenzie projects $9 trillion in global AI and data infrastructure investment through 2040, with Nvidia arguing operators need to resolve power architecture before compute demand outstrips what facilities can deliver.
