Trump, McCormick unveil $90B AI and energy investment pledge for Pennsylvania

At the Pennsylvania Energy & Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University on Tuesday, President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R‑Pa.) announced more than $90 billion in private-sector commitments to develop AI infrastructure, data centers, power generation, and workforce training across the commonwealth.

The summit brought together major technology and energy players — Meta, Microsoft, Google, AWS, ExxonMobil, Blackstone, CoreWeave, Brookfield, Westinghouse, and others — to pledge massive expansion in everything from natural gas and nuclear power to regional data hubs.

Key investment highlights

• $25 billion from Blackstone for data centers and natural gas-fired plants in NE Pennsylvania
• Google will invest $25 billion in AI-related data center infrastructure and has signed a $3 billion hydropower deal in PJM territory
• A CoreWeave commitment of $6 billion for a 300 MW AI data center in South Central Pennsylvania
• FirstEnergy to inject $15 billion into grid and transmission upgrades statewide 
• AWS adds $20 billion into cloud and AI infrastructure expansion .

Energy mix focus

Summit speakers emphasized the power demands of AI, arguing that coal, gas, nuclear, and hydropower must underpin the rapid development of data centers. Renewable energy and wind/solar were notably minimized in the agenda. 

Microsoft’s collaboration with Constellation Energy to potentially reopen the Three Mile Island nuclear plant underscores this shift.

Workforce and training

Summit panelists revealed a push to build a modern workforce — announcing a regional energy/AI training center in Pittsburgh, a $1 million cybersecurity education gift from Anthropic for schools and Carnegie Mellon, and remarks from Mike Rowe highlighting that trades like HVAC, welding, and piping are vital job pipelines alongside AI coding.

Political dynamics

This initiative is branded as the “next industrial revolution,” reflecting concerns over U.S. leadership and competition with China.

Trump called it a “true golden age for America,” though many investments had been announced prior to the summit — raising questions about how much of the $90B count as fresh commitments.

Environmental groups criticized the focus on fossil and nuclear energy while warning about climate and health impacts; critics also note the limited creation of permanent jobs compared to construction-phase hiring.

Reactions

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro stayed neutral, urging accountability for delivering real projects and jobs, while Sen. McCormick emphasized the opportunity to leverage the state’s shale, nuclear capacity, and talent.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called for streamlining energy and data-center permitting, criticizing delays that hamper buildup.

What’s next?

An AI Action Plan from the Trump administration is due by July 23, with expectations of more executive orders aimed at easing permitting and freeing up federal land for data center construction.

Observers will closely watch whether these investments translate into realized projects, how energy infrastructure adapts, and how communities handle environmental and grid stability concerns.

Anthony SanFilippo is the managing editor of both PhillyDaily.com and DelcoNow.com and also contributes to the company’s sports coverage at OnPattison.com. He has been covering professional sports in Philadelphia since 1998. Follow him on X @AntSanPhilly.

This article was originally published at PhillyDaily.com.