President Donald Trump stood before an audience of corporate titans and government officials at Carnegie Mellon University last Tuesday, announcing what he described as the beginning of a “true golden age for America” in artificial intelligence and energy development. The inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit marked a pivotal moment as more than $90 billion in private investment commitments were unveiled, positioning the state as the epicenter of America’s AI infrastructure revolution.
The summit, organized by Republican Senator Dave McCormick, brought together leaders from technology, energy, and finance companies to outline ambitious plans that could reshape Pennsylvania’s economic landscape. The state’s abundant natural gas resources, nuclear capabilities, and hydroelectric potential have made it an attractive destination for companies seeking to power the energy-intensive demands of artificial intelligence data centers.
Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, announced the largest single commitment with a $25 billion investment in data centers and energy infrastructure across northeastern Pennsylvania. Jon Gray, Blackstone’s president and chief operating officer, revealed plans to partner with utility company PPL to construct new natural gas power generation facilities alongside massive data center complexes.
“By co-locating data centers next to the natural gas, we eliminate the enormous cost and time delays with these projects, which makes us super bullish on this state,” Gray said during the summit. The project is expected to create approximately 6,000 construction jobs annually over a 10-year timeline, with an additional 3,000 permanent positions during operations.
Google matched Blackstone’s commitment with its own $25 billion investment in AI and data center infrastructure across the PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest electrical grid covering 13 states. The tech giant simultaneously announced a $3 billion agreement with Brookfield Asset Management to modernize two hydropower facilities on Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna River, part of what Google described as the world’s largest corporate clean power deal for hydroelectricity.
Ruth Porat, Google’s president and chief investment officer, explained the strategic importance of the partnership. “Thank you so much for your leadership, for your clear and urgent direction that our nation invests in AI in the infrastructure, technology, and energy needed to unlock the extraordinary capabilities and really enable America to continue to lead,” she told Trump during the summit.
The hydropower modernization represents a critical component of Google’s commitment to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. The upgraded facilities will provide 670 megawatts of clean electricity to power Google’s expanding data center operations across the mid-Atlantic region through 20-year contracts.
CoreWeave, an AI cloud computing company, contributed $6 billion for a new 300-megawatt data center in Lancaster County, adding to Pennsylvania’s growing constellation of AI infrastructure projects. The announcement came amid broader industry recognition that Pennsylvania’s energy resources position it uniquely to support the massive power requirements of artificial intelligence operations.
The state’s transformation extends beyond new construction to the repurposing of existing energy infrastructure. The former Homer City coal-fired power plant is being converted into what will become the nation’s largest natural gas-fired facility, specifically designed to fuel a major data center campus. EQT Corporation struck a $15 billion deal with the Homer City Redevelopment Authority to supply natural gas for the project.
Nuclear energy also features prominently in Pennsylvania’s AI strategy. Westinghouse, the Pittsburgh-based nuclear technology company, announced plans to construct 10 nuclear reactors across the country as part of the broader energy expansion. Constellation Energy has reopened the functional nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island under a long-term power supply agreement with Microsoft’s data centers.
FirstEnergy CEO Brian Tierney emphasized the infrastructure investments required to support the AI revolution. “We are planning $15 billion of investment between now and the end of your term in the distribution grid and the transmission grid to enable things like artificial intelligence development, shale gas development, and any other form of economic and technological development,” he told Trump.
The summit highlighted the geopolitical dimensions of AI competition, particularly with China. The timing proved especially significant following the emergence of Chinese startup DeepSeek, which had recently demonstrated surprisingly capable AI models developed at lower costs than previously thought possible by American companies.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stressed the national security implications during his remarks at the summit. He warned that AI could have major impacts on future security and emphasized the importance of America maintaining control over “every piece of the supply chain, from the chips to the companies building” AI systems.
The investments announced in Pennsylvania reflect a broader trend of surging electricity demand from data centers supporting artificial intelligence and cloud computing. According to Department of Energy projections, data centers could account for 8.6 percent of all U.S. electricity demand by 2035, more than doubling their current 3.5 percent share.
Trump administration officials have positioned adequate electricity supply as intertwined with national security, essential for maintaining American leadership in the global AI race. David Sacks, Trump’s AI and crypto czar, summarized the administration’s approach succinctly: “We have to drill, baby, drill, and we have to build, baby, build.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, participated in the summit alongside Republican leaders, emphasizing the bipartisan nature of the economic opportunity. His presence on panels discussing major investments underscored how AI infrastructure development has transcended traditional partisan divisions around energy policy.
The summit also featured commitments beyond infrastructure development. Google announced an “AI Works for PA” initiative to train one million small businesses and Pittsburgh residents in artificial intelligence applications. Meta committed $2.5 million toward a partnership program with Carnegie Mellon University to support rural Pennsylvania startups, while Anthropic pledged $2 million over three years for cybersecurity education and energy research.
The announcements build upon previously disclosed projects, including Amazon’s $20 billion investment in two data center complexes across Pennsylvania, announced in June. Together, these commitments represent the largest coordinated private sector investment in Pennsylvania’s modern history.
McCormick described the $90 billion total as the “largest investment commitment in these industries in terms of dollars for the state and jobs created in the history of the Commonwealth.” The first-term senator, who organized the summit, positioned Pennsylvania as uniquely equipped to lead America’s AI and energy revolution.
Trump connected the Pennsylvania investments to his broader vision of American economic dominance. “Today’s commitments are ensuring the future is going to be designed, built and made right here in Pennsylvania and right here in Pittsburgh and, I have to say, right here in the United States of America,” he declared.
The rapid pace of development has drawn both enthusiasm and concern. Environmental groups criticized the heavy emphasis on natural gas infrastructure, warning about greenhouse gas emissions and public health impacts from expanded fracking operations. However, supporters argue that Pennsylvania’s energy abundance provides a strategic advantage in maintaining American technological leadership.
As construction timelines extend into the late 2020s, Pennsylvania’s transformation into an AI powerhouse will test whether the state can successfully balance economic opportunity with environmental stewardship while positioning America to compete effectively in the global artificial intelligence race.
