The Pulse: a new trend of CPU shortages

blog.pragmaticengineer.com Sep 25, 2026

The Pulse: a new trend of CPU shortages

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 25, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

A recent discussion among CTOs and infrastructure leaders revealed widespread CPU shortages in cloud environments, mirroring the GPU “memory crisis” seen in gaming. Spot pricing for CPUs has disappeared, forcing companies to secure long‑term reservations months ahead, often with limited success. Large firms, including turbopuffer and inference providers, report hitting capacity limits despite ample budgets. AI‑driven workloads—particularly agentic services that compile, test, and run code—are driving unprecedented CPU demand, compelling firms to plan capacity up to a year in advance.

💡 Why It Matters

· The vanishing of CPU spot pricing signals a fundamental shift in cloud resource economics, forcing businesses to lock in costly, long‑term contracts and rethink scaling strategies for AI workloads.

Capsules Cloud Computing

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SPECTRUM BRINGS AI COMPUTING TO THE EDGE OF THE NETWORK AT SCTE…

Spectrum unveiled its Edge Compute Infrastructure (ECI) at SCTE TechExpo 26, activating over 1,000 distributed edge data centers across the U.S. The platform, powered by NVIDIA accelerated computing, places AI processing within 10 milliseconds of 500 million devices, enabling low‑latency workloads for robotics, sensors, and real‑time video. Collaborations with Cast AI, HP, Hydra Host, and World Wide Technology demonstrated the platform’s capabilities, including a live robotics demo and the integration of NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs into multi‑cloud environments. The rollout marks a significant step toward commercial AI deployment at the network edge.

💡 By bringing AI compute closer to end users, Spectrum reduces latency that can cripple time‑sensitive applications, positioning its network as a critical enabler for real‑world AI deployments.

taipeitimes.com · Sep 22

Microsoft to double data centers in Taiwan

Microsoft Corp announced plans to double its Taiwan data‑center footprint from two to four sites, adding capacity primarily in the north to meet surging demand and mitigate single‑point‑failure risks. General manager Sean Pien said demand has outstripped supply for the past two to three years and will continue for a similar horizon, stressing shortages not only of GPUs and CPUs but also of power and rack space. The first Azure phase launched in Taoyuan in 2024, and the expansion will broaden the service catalog from 70 to over 200 offerings, targeting regulated sectors such as government, healthcare and finance. Pien highlighted Taiwan’s pivotal role in the global AI‑hardware supply chain and noted that Microsoft’s custom ASIC development is progressing, with near‑term priority given to internal workloads.

💡 The move cements Taiwan as a critical hub for AI infrastructure, ensuring Microsoft can sustain its rapid service rollout while reinforcing the island’s strategic position in the worldwide computing supply chain.

businessworld.in · Sep 21

Microsoft Opens Fourth Cloud Region As India’s Data Centre Economy Eyes $200…

Microsoft inaugurated its fourth Indian cloud region, India South Central, in Hyderabad, creating a three‑zone hub for Azure and artificial‑intelligence services. The facility is positioned to serve enterprises across Asia and the Global South while meeting data‑residency, Digital Personal Data Protection, RBI and CERT‑In regulations. Major customers such as Adani Group, Bajaj Finserv, HDFC Bank and PB Pay have already signed up. The launch is part of Microsoft’s $20.5 billion India commitment and aligns with a Boston Consulting Group study that projects India’s data‑centre build‑out could generate $140‑200 billion in economic output by 2030. Microsoft also backs the India‑Southeast Asia subsea cable project, a 3,600‑km link slated for 2029, to boost regional connectivity for cloud and AI workloads and accelerate digital transformation regionally.

💡 The new hub gives Asian and Global South firms low‑latency AI access, reshaping where critical cloud workloads are run.

freemalaysiatoday.com · Sep 20

Singapore’s data centre command hub keeps AI up and running

Analysts at Digital Realty’s Singapore data‑centre command hub monitor more than 300 facilities across six continents, using digital maps and dashboards to spot early warning signs such as temperature spikes. The team, led by Daniel Naing, processes thousands of alerts weekly and must respond within minutes to prevent power outages, equipment failures, or weather‑related disruptions. Together with sister hubs in Europe and the United States, the command centre provides 24‑hour oversight for roughly 6,000 tenant companies that rely on uninterrupted online banking, messaging and AI services. Digital Realty emphasizes renewable energy, solar power and closed‑loop cooling to counter public concerns about carbon and water use. Recent attacks on Amazon’s Middle‑East data centres underscored the sector’s vulnerability, heightening the hub’s role in maintaining global digital infrastructure.

💡 Continuous, real‑time oversight of worldwide data centres is essential to keep AI‑driven services and everyday digital interactions running without interruption.

nextplatform.com · Sep 14

Despite Hefty Capital Investments, The Cloud Starts Paying Off For Oracle

Oracle reported record $19.18 billion revenue for Q1 fiscal 2027, a 29.6 % year‑over‑year increase and the first time a fiscal year’s first quarter has outpaced the prior fourth quarter in its 50‑year history. Cloud infrastructure sales jumped 61.5 % to $11.61 billion, with IaaS revenue doubling to $7.4 billion and growing 27.6 % sequentially. Operating income rose 57.3 % to $6.73 billion and net income 62.6 % to $4.76 billion. The surge is driven by a $664 billion backlog, of which Oracle expects to convert roughly half into revenue over the next 36 months, equating to about $27.7 billion per quarter. Despite the growth, the company spent $28 billion on capital expenditures, turning quarterly cash flow negative $5 billion after a $23 billion inflow from cloud prepayments and a $19.9 billion equity raise.

💡 Oracle’s accelerating backlog conversion signals a turning point where its heavy cloud investments begin to generate sustainable cash flow, reshaping its long‑term profitability trajectory.

bgr.com · Sep 13

If Your Google Drive Upload Is Too Slow, Try This

Google Drive remains a leading free cloud storage service, offering more space than rivals such as OneDrive and iCloud and supporting Android, Windows, iOS, Mac and web browsers. Despite its popularity, users frequently report painfully slow upload speeds, sometimes taking hours to transfer files. The slowdown can stem from three primary sources: inadequate internet bandwidth, hardware or software limitations on the uploading device, or issues within Google Drive’s own infrastructure. A new guide by Marinel Sigue, published September 12, 2026, outlines step‑by‑step troubleshooting for each cause, including checking network performance, optimizing device settings, and verifying Google’s service status. By addressing these factors, users can restore faster upload times and improve overall cloud‑storage efficiency.

💡 Faster uploads keep Google Drive viable for time‑critical collaboration, preventing workflow bottlenecks that can stall projects.