Example apparatus and methods concern selective adaptive predictive data placement to improve the operating and/or electrical efficiency of a data storage apparatus. A future input/output operation is predicted from a current input/output operation, the state of the data storage apparatus, relationships between data currently being processed and data previously processed, environmental factors, or other factors. The apparatus and methods may improve data storage efficiency by selectively pre-fetching data, relocating data on the data storage apparatus or within a plurality of data storage apparatus, speculatively producing erasure codes or other error correction codes, speculatively deduplicating data, or other adaptive functions. Relocation and pre-fetching may be configured to achieve different policies focused on electrical efficiency, operating efficiency, use spreading, or other considerations.