Microsoft Plans $3.3bn AI Data Center on Former Foxconn Wisconsin Site
Microsoft has announced a significant investment of $3.3 billion to establish a data hub focused on artificial intelligence in Racine, Wisconsin. The initiative is expected to generate approximately 2,300 union construction jobs and lead to 2,000 permanent jobs over time. In addition to the data center, Microsoft intends to launch a "Datacenter Academy" to train 1,000 individuals in STEM-related fields and a "Co-Innovation Lab" to support the integration of AI technologies into local businesses.
The investment is particularly noteworthy as it occurs on the site previously earmarked for a Foxconn facility, a project that ultimately did not come to fruition. Microsoft's commitment also includes opening a lab at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to facilitate the training of roughly 100,000 workers in the use of AI.
This development aligns with the Biden administration's focus on job growth and technological advancement in the United States. President Joe Biden, who is expected to visit the site alongside Microsoft President Brad Smith, aims to underscore his administration's efforts to foster job creation, referencing the addition of 177,000 jobs in Wisconsin since he took office. The project also ties into the broader context of federal initiatives like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the "Chips Act," which are designed to bolster the U.S. position in high-tech industries, including semiconductor manufacturing.
