Google in Talks to Buy Envicool Liquid-Cooling Equipment as AI Data Center Supplies Run Short

Generative AI is driving the deployment of high-density servers, sharply increasing power consumption and heat output per rack and gradually pushing conventional air cooling beyond its limits. Liquid cooling removes heat directly from chips and has become critical infrastructure for cloud providers such as Google as they expand AI data centers while maintaining computing performance and energy efficiency.

Google has recently been in talks with Chinese liquid-cooling equipment maker Envicool and other suppliers over purchases aimed at easing a shortage of cooling equipment for AI data centers. Existing reports have not disclosed when the talks began, the purchase value, equipment volumes or delivery schedule, and no deal has been announced as finalized. The discussions nevertheless show that Google is broadening its assessment of Chinese supply sources.