‘All in on AI’: Shapiro, Amazon announce $20B AI investment in Pennsylvania

Gov. Josh Shapiro and leaders from Amazon announced a $20 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure on Monday morning – a deal that will result in the construction of two data centers in Luzerne and Bucks counties, and further investments in job training, STEM programming and AI education across the commonwealth. 

It is the largest private sector investment in the state’s history, according to Shapiro, who said the projects will create approximately 1,250 permanent jobs along with “thousands” of construction jobs. The governor said at Monday’s press conference that the investment will “power our global economy and the future of artificial intelligence.”

The sites selected for the data centers include one location in Salem Township, Luzerne County, adjacent to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, and another in Falls Township, Bucks County, at the Keystone Trade Center – an industrial park situated on the site of a former steel plant. Shapiro said Monday that his administration “is actively engaged with Amazon on additional sites in our commonwealth.”

The governor noted that Pennsylvania is in a unique position to become a major player in the AI space, highlighting the state’s diverse energy sources, technology-focused universities and his administration’s 10-year economic development strategy – all factors that set the commonwealth and country up to compete with China in the ongoing AI arms race. 

“We are already all in on AI,” Shapiro said. “Here in Pennsylvania, we have the energy resources to support this technology. We’ve got the brains to be able to drive innovation forward. We have the workforce ready to build and maintain these critical data centers. We’ve got elected leaders from every single level ready to roll up their sleeves and continue to work together for the common good – for our commonwealth. This is what a united front looks like to win the battle of AI supremacy. We will out-compete China. We will do so here in Pennsylvania – and we will win.”

Shapiro said the investment was the result of “about 20 months of extremely hard and collaborative work between our administration, Amazon and leaders at every level of government.” Republican U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick was on hand for the announcement as well, calling it a “great day for Pennsylvania.”

McCormick said if Pennsylvania’s leaders can replicate the collaborative effort behind the Amazon investment, the state will reap the rewards. 

“The formula is clear: If we can tell Pennsylvania's story about all these incredible assets, if we can have the focus and execution, if we can have the collaboration that we see here in this event today, then Pennsylvania’s brightest days lie ahead,” he said. 

Amazon leaders said the Pennsylvania-based facilities will be transformative not just for the commonwealth but for the nation as a whole. “These facilities are really going to serve as the backbone for America's AI infrastructure, helping make sure that the United States continues to remain at the forefront of global technology innovation,” said Kevin Miller, Amazon Web Services’ vice president of global data centers.

The company will also be spearheading workforce development initiatives, including programs to train new data center technicians and partnerships with Pennsylvania universities and other educational institutions. Amazon will also partner with the University of Pittsburgh to create “the first cloud innovation center on the East Coast,” which will have a specialized focus on health and sports analytics.

Amazon also announced the launch of a community fund focused on Northeastern Pennsylvania that will provide grants for STEM education, digital skills, sustainability and health and well-being in the region. The company also has distributed grants in partnership with Berwick Community College to tackle issues like food insecurity, homelessness and education.