Jenny Johnson: Data-Center Risk From Tech Innovation Pace

Franklin Templeton Chief Executive Officer Jenny Johnson said she is monitoring the data-center sector due to concerns that rapid technological innovation could render long-term assumptions about computing and energy needs obsolete, according to an interview with Bloomberg Television on Thursday.

Technology Risk and Planning Horizon

Johnson highlighted the challenge of making 20-year projections based on current technology. “Any time you’re planning for 20 years based on today’s technology, with the pace with which we see innovation happening, that can be risky,” she said.

Photonic Computing as Emerging Concern

Johnson specifically cited photonic computing as an emerging technology worth monitoring. Photonic computing uses light waves for speedy data processing and requires far less energy than conventional computing approaches, according to Johnson’s comments. The efficiency gains and reduced energy demands of such technologies could shift the fundamental assumptions underlying data-center investment theses, she indicated.