THE DATA CENTRE INTERVIEW
More than coding Coding is an important part of AI, Mark says, but is only one layer of a much larger system.
He explains:“ An AI application is only as dependable as the infrastructure beneath it. It needs resilient power, effective cooling, secure connectivity and teams capable of operating complex environments safely.”
Mark points to practical roles that keep AI systems running, even without a single line of code.
He states:“ A mechanical engineer improving airflow through a data hall, an electrical engineer designing resilient power, or an operations specialist maintaining availability is contributing directly to the AI economy, even if they never write a line of code.”
However, defining AI careers too narrowly risks excluding people with exactly the skills the sector needs, as Mark points out:“ Some will write code, while others will build, protect or operate the environment in which that code runs. Both are directly contributing to the AI economy.”
Alternative routes into the sector Mark is keen to stress there is no single route into data centre careers.
22 October 2026