On July 15, 2025, the U.S. officially unveiled a sweeping $90 billion initiative to bolster artificial intelligence infrastructure, energy systems, and workforce readiness at the Energy & Innovation Summit held at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Hosted by Senator Dave McCormick, the event drew prominent figures including former President Trump and executives from Meta, Microsoft, Alphabet, ExxonMobil, CoreWeave, and Google.
Trump used the platform to emphasize America’s urgency to compete with China in the AI space, characterizing the investment as “the next industrial revolution.” He outlined a comprehensive $90 billion package that covers funding for data centers, energy infrastructure, transmission, distribution, and skilled workforce development.
Per McCormick, the investment breakdown includes commitments such as $25 billion from Google for data centers and AI infrastructure, $6 billion from CoreWeave for a new AI-focused facility, and $15 billion from FirstEnergy to upgrade Pennsylvania’s electrical grid. Moreover, Blackstone, in partnership with utility PPL, announced a new venture to construct natural-gas generation plants specifically for data center power needs.
To support implementation, the Biden-aligned administration committed to regulatory reforms, including streamlining Clean Water Act permits and allocating federal land to accelerate data center construction. This coordinated campaign spans both public and private sectors, positioning the investment plan as an “AI Action Plan” scheduled for release by July 23.
Analysts say these actions seek to address surging power requirements fueled by AI and cloud computing — with some predicting energy demand could jump by 25% over the next seven years. Notably, Microsoft and Constellation Energy are evaluating the restart of Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant to meet projected needs. Such bold developments raise concerns about grid stability, rising electricity costs, and the broader environmental impact.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s leadership welcomed the summit’s focus. Local officials described the initiative as sparking an “economic renaissance” for the state, with major corporations pledging long-term energy and data facility investments — though some note that many of these deals remain subject to regulatory approval and are not guaranteed.
The summit also highlighted Pennsylvania’s strategic assets. Rich in natural gas and nestled between major East Coast markets, the state presents a compelling case for hosting AI and data infrastructure. Carnegie Mellon’s role as a global AI research hub further positions Pittsburgh as a central node in America’s digital and energy transition.
