Exclusive: Seagate’s Jeff Park on AI, data growth, and the future of storage

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the data storage industry, with businesses facing unprecedented increases in storage demands. According to Seagate's latest report, companies expect their data storage needs to double by 2028, a shift that is forcing enterprises and cloud providers to rethink their approach to infrastructure.

Jeff Park, Seagate's country manager for Australia, has been with the 45-year-old company for over 20 years.

He describes Seagate as an innovator in hard drive technology, enabling mass storage to scale far beyond traditional computing. In a conversation with TechDay, Park explained how AI is driving this data explosion and how Seagate is helping enterprises navigate these changes.

"The adoption of AI is accelerating at an incredible rate," he said. "Businesses that have already invested in AI storage infrastructure are seeing their data requirements grow exponentially."

Seagate's recent research, conducted with Recon Analytics, surveyed over 1,000 businesses worldwide, each with more than 50 terabytes of storage capacity and annual revenues exceeding $10 million.

The study found that 61% of respondents expect their storage needs to grow by 100% in the next three years.

"This is staggering growth," Park said. "It shows just how rapidly AI is transforming the way businesses operate."

Why is data storage demand skyrocketing?

The surge in data storage requirements can be attributed to three main factors: richer content, data replication, and extended retention periods.

"Think about the media industry," Park explained.

"We've gone from high-definition to 4K, now to 8K."

"Content creators work with massive raw files, and the number of cameras in public spaces like shopping centres and train stations is increasing."

AI also requires significant data replication. As models evolve, they fine-tune themselves using large datasets spread across multiple locations, from edge computing to cloud environments. Additionally, regulatory requirements and long-term data retention strategies mean businesses must store vast amounts of historical data.

"Companies are unlocking new value from data that's 10 or 15 years old," Park said.

"Geospatial mapping, for example, is now leveraging archival aerial photography to generate fresh insights."

The data explosion is surpassing expectations

While IT specialists anticipated a rise in data creation, the sheer volume has taken many by surprise.

"Every year, global predictions on data growth are surpassed," Park said.

"By 2028, we're looking at approximately 394 zettabytes of data being created."

"To put that into perspective, one zettabyte is equivalent to all the sand grains on Earth combined - now multiply that by 400."

Despite this explosion in data creation, storage capacity is struggling to keep pace. "Currently, we can only store about 10% of the data being created," Park noted. "The industry needs to find new ways to scale efficiently."

Why storage is critical to AI infrastructure

Seagate's report found that respondents ranked storage as one of the top two priorities in AI infrastructure - alongside security, and ahead of data management and regulatory compliance.

"Data is the fuel that drives AI," Park explained. "Without structured datasets, AI models cannot learn and refine themselves. AI needs a strong foundation of data to function effectively."

However, data security remains a crucial concern. As AI increasingly relies on sensitive information - such as financial and medical records - companies must balance storage expansion with stringent security measures.

The challenge for cloud providers

With storage needs set to double, cloud providers and enterprises face the challenge of scaling their infrastructure cost-effectively.

"Building a new data centre can cost upwards of a billion dollars," Park said.

"And with hundreds of new data centres under construction globally, energy consumption is becoming a major concern."

To address this, Seagate has developed Mozaic 3+, a breakthrough hard drive platform that incorporates Seagate's unique implementation of HAMR that increases storage density without expanding physical infrastructure.

"Mozaic 3+ combines material science, chemical engineering, and quantum physics to enable 3.6 terabytes of storage per platter, with drives reaching 36 terabytes," Park explained.

"This allows companies to scale without consuming excessive energy or space."

Seagate claims Mozaic 3+ is up to six times more cost-effective than solid-state drives (SSDs) at initial deployment and four times less operating power.

Sustainability in storage

As data centres become significant consumers of energy and water for cooling, the industry is seeking greener solutions.

Park believes that increasing storage density is a key strategy for reducing environmental impact.

"If we can store more data in the same physical footprint, we use less energy and require less cooling," he said.

"It's like building upwards in a city instead of expanding outward."

Seagate's industry leadership

Seagate has been a pioneer in storage technology for over 40 years and remains the only vertically integrated hard drive manufacturer.

"We own all our technology patents and have thousands of R&D specialists driving future innovation," Park said.

"Our deep industry partnerships allow us to tackle the storage challenges of tomorrow."

The company has evolved beyond traditional IT markets, now working with industries such as banking, healthcare, logistics, and even cosmetics.

"The last five years have seen us engage with a much broader range of sectors," Park said.

"Data is no longer just an IT issue - it's a business-critical asset."

The future of storage

Park's journey into the tech industry began with a background in chemistry and environmental science. He joined Seagate in South Korea in 2004, just as Apple's first-generation iPod - with a Seagate micro hard drive—was making waves in consumer electronics.

"That was a turning point," he recalled. "Hard drives moved beyond traditional computing and into the hands of everyday consumers."

Looking ahead, Park believes Seagate's roadmap is stronger than ever.

"Our research team spent 20 years developing the Mozaic 3+ technology," he said.

"We had to create lasers thinner than a human hair and learn how to heat and cool storage platters within milliseconds."

"Now, we have a reliable and scalable solution that will drive the industry forward."

As AI adoption accelerates and storage requirements soar, Seagate is positioning itself at the forefront of the data revolution.

"We're excited about the future," Park said.

"The world's data challenges aren't going away - but we're ready to meet them."

For more details on Seagate's Mozaic 3+ technology, visit Seagate's Mozaic 3+ page.

Additionally, you can explore the findings from the latest Recon Survey here.