WASHINGTON, July 7 — The boom in artificial intelligence is reshaping more than just the tech world. Behind the gleaming renderings of new data centers, a quieter shift is underway: the people guarding those construction sites are getting a serious upgrade. Private security companies report a 30% increase in contracts for data center construction site protection since 2023, according to the Security Industry Association.
That jump reflects the sheer value of what’s being built, and what’s at risk. It used to be a chain-link fence and a night watchman.
Not anymore. Companies like Allied Universal and Securitas now offer specialized services for these sites, including motion sensors, drones, and 24/7 patrols. Some builders are using GPS tracking on copper spools and installing concrete barriers.
The hardware is getting smarter because the stakes are getting higher.
The Cost of Keeping Watch
The price tag for that peace of mind has climbed sharply. Security for a typical data center site now runs between $50,000 and $100,000 per month, up from $20,000 in 2020. That’s a significant line item for developers already facing rising material and labor costs.
Insurance companies have taken notice. The thefts have led to insurance premium increases of 15-20% for data center construction projects, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
For builders, that means another layer of expense on projects that already run into the hundreds of millions. The trend is expected to continue. With over 300 new data centers planned in the U.S. by 2026, the demand for security services shows no sign of cooling.
The AI boom is driving a construction wave, and where there is construction, there is vulnerability.
What’s at Stake
Data centers are not just buildings full of servers. They are the physical backbone of the digital economy, housing the computing power that runs everything from cloud storage to the latest large language models. A delay in construction caused by theft or vandalism can ripple through supply chains and project timelines.
The materials themselves are a target. Copper wiring, valuable metals, and expensive networking equipment are all attractive to thieves.
GPS tracking on copper spools is one response, a low-tech fix for a high-tech problem. Concrete barriers are another, making it harder for vehicles to breach a site. For the security firms, this is a growth market.
Allied Universal and Securitas are adapting their traditional guard services to meet the specific needs of data center construction. That means more than just a warm body at a gate.
It means integrating technology with human patrols, creating a layered defense. The human side of this story is the men and women working those shifts. They are the ones walking the perimeter at 3 a.m., monitoring drone feeds, and checking the GPS trackers on spools of copper.
Their job has become more technical, more demanding, and more essential to the AI supply chain.
