President Biden to Announce Creation of AI Data Center in Wisconsin, Highlighting Economic Accomplishments and Contrasting with Trump’s Failed Project
President Biden is set to travel to Wisconsin on Wednesday to announce the creation of an artificial intelligence data center, a move that will showcase one of his administration’s biggest economic accomplishments in a crucial battleground state. The announcement will also highlight a significant failure by his immediate predecessor and potential 2024 challenger, former President Donald J. Trump.
The data center, which will be built by Microsoft with a $3.3 billion investment, is expected to create 2,300 union construction jobs and 2,000 permanent jobs, according to the White House. This project is part of Mr. Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda, which aims to bring private-sector dollars into industries such as manufacturing, clean energy, and artificial intelligence.
During his fourth trip to Wisconsin this year, President Biden will continue to draw a sharp contrast between his administration and the policies of former President Trump. The visit will also include a campaign event where he will address Black voters about the stakes in the upcoming election.
The location of the new data center holds particular significance, as it will be built on grounds where President Trump had announced a $10 billion factory project by Foxconn in 2017. The Foxconn project, which was supposed to create 13,000 jobs, ultimately failed to materialize as promised, dealing a major blow to both Mr. Trump’s manufacturing promises and the local economy in Racine.
In contrast, the White House stated that the new data center will add to the more than 4,000 jobs created in Racine since President Biden took office. Microsoft has also committed to investing in workforce development in the area, including the creation of a “Datacenter Academy” in partnership with Gateway Technical College.
Brad Smith, the vice chairman and president of Microsoft, expressed excitement about the project, stating, “Wisconsin has a rich and storied legacy of innovation and ingenuity in manufacturing. We will use our resources, scale, and know-how to add to these strengths with the world’s most advanced A.I. and the skills training to put it to use.”
Overall, President Biden’s announcement of the AI data center in Wisconsin serves as a symbol of his administration’s commitment to economic growth and innovation, while also highlighting the failures of the previous administration in delivering on promises of job creation and revitalization.
