LG CNS unveils containerized data center ‘AI Box’

LG CNS said Thursday it will roll out a containerized artificial intelligence data center solution capable of housing hundreds of GPUs in a single unit, as it moves to capture rapidly growing global demand for AI infrastructure.

The AI Box system is a modular micro data center designed to house up to 576 GPUs with an IT power capacity of 1.2 megawatts in a single container.

By removing the need for a conventional building, LG CNS said the system can be deployed in about six months, compared with roughly two years required to build a traditional data center.

“LG CNS’ AI Box, which integrates everything from AI servers to power, cooling and operations within a single system, will drive a new paradigm in the data center industry,” said Cho Heon-hyeock, executive director of the Data Center Unit at LG CNS.

“Building on successful deployments in South Korea, we plan to expand the business into global markets, including Southeast Asia and North America.”

LG CNS plans to install its first AI Box in Busan, where it aims to develop a campus of about 50 units on a 27,179-square-meter site within a global cloud data center complex.

Each AI Box includes an electrical room equipped with transformers and uninterruptible power supply systems, along with a server room housing GPUs and cooling infrastructure.

Supporting facilities outside the container include generators, battery rooms and chillers, designed to ensure a stable power supply and heat management in high-density AI environments.

The company said the modular design allows multiple containers to be linked together to form a hyperscale AI data center, enabling customers to scale capacity gradually while reducing upfront investment.

The system combines LG CNS’ data center design, construction and operational capabilities with hardware supplied by other LG Group affiliates.

Cooling systems such as coolant distribution units and industrial chillers are provided by LG Electronics, while battery systems for uninterrupted power supply are supplied by LG Energy Solution.