Backblaze releases Q1 Network Stats report

Backblaze (BLZE) released its Q1 2026 Network Stats report. The second installment in its quarterly series, this report adds more granular geographic heatmaps, offering a rare view into where AI traffic is concentrating. The Q1 2026 data shows that United States neocloud activity is heavily concentrated in the California and Ashburn-Reston corridor in Virginia. Global hotspots are also emerging in Finland, Brazil, France, and Canada. At the same time, Backblaze observed a dip in neocloud activity over the winter months followed by a rebound in March, even as baseline network activity has meaningfully increased. “The data tells a clear story: AI is reshaping global infrastructure investment,” said Gleb Budman, CEO, Backblaze. “GPU clusters are concentrating not only in traditional high-intensity regions such as Northern Virginia and California, but also in Finland, Brazil, and beyond. Backblaze’s high-performance cloud storage is enabling these new AI workflows to succeed globally.”