Gov. Tony Evers today is set to welcome President Joe Biden back to Wisconsin and join Microsoft officials to celebrate Microsoft’s investment of $3.3 billion from now through 2026 to develop a state-of-the-art datacenter campus in Mount Pleasant, according to this morning’s press release. The project is expected to bring 2,000 union construction jobs to the area by the end of this year, as well as provide long-term employment opportunities over the next several years. Microsoft is also announcing the establishment of a long-term partnership to advance the state’s global leadership in AI and advanced manufacturing.
Microsoft will pair its datacenter investment with a broad investment package designed to strengthen the role of southeast Wisconsin as a hub for AI-powered economic activity, innovation, and job creation.
In partnership with TitletownTech and the Green Bay Packers, Microsoft will establish a manufacturing focused AI Co-Innovation Lab on the campus of UW–Milwaukee, the first of its kind in the U.S. This lab will connect Wisconsin manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and established companies with Microsoft’s AI experts and developers to design and prototype AI and cloud solutions to improve and accelerate their work and grow their business. The lab is expected to provide at least 60 manufacturers per year with guidance on implementing AI technology to grow their businesses.
Gov. Evers announced that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) is providing a $500,000 grant to support capital improvements necessary for the success of the Co-Innovation Lab. The organization is also providing a $500,000 grant to assist TitletownTech in opening a new, full-time TitletownTech–Milwaukee office within the Wisconsin AI Co-Innovation Lab to reach more entrepreneurs and startups.
