AI data centers could eventually be designated as critical infrastructure in the United States as government, military and commercial systems become increasingly dependent on their computing capacity, according to Jim Himes, ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Himes made the case at an October 21 event at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., according to a Nextgov/FCW report.

He said there is “no question” these facilities will be considered critical infrastructure because so much future functionality will rely on their health and existence. AI-focused facilities could become even more important than the network data centers the country has relied on for 40 years.

Himes argued that protecting U.S. facilities will require a more robust and distributed computing infrastructure, with essential services spread across multiple locations so critical functions remain redundant and protected.

The United States currently recognizes 16 critical-infrastructure sectors, including information technology, communications and financial services. AI data centers are not yet designated as a standalone sector, although they already support some critical functions.

Infrastructure Resilience Is Becoming a Data Governance Concern

For Chief Data Officers (CDOs), the discussion raises questions about the availability, security and resilience of the infrastructure supporting enterprise data and AI systems.

As organizations depend more heavily on large-scale computing facilities, data leaders need to understand where critical data is processed, how it moves between systems and what happens when the underlying infrastructure becomes unavailable.

These considerations extend the scope of enterprise AI governance. Governance programs must account for the systems and facilities on which AI applications rely, including risks from service interruptions, infrastructure dependencies and the availability of mission-critical data.