July 15, 2025 – President Donald Trump announced a $70 billion investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and energy infrastructure at the inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh on July 15, 2025. Joined by Senator David McCormick (R-PA) and over 60 energy and tech CEOs, including Blackstone President Jon Gray, Trump emphasized leveraging American energy—particularly natural gas, coal, and nuclear—to power the AI revolution and maintain U.S. dominance over competitors like China. The initiative aims to address the surging energy demands of AI data centers, projected to consume 8.6% of U.S. electricity by 2035, up from 3.5% today.
Key components of the investment include:
- Data Centers and Power Expansion: New data centers, power generation facilities, and grid upgrades to meet AI’s energy needs, with Blackstone committing $25 billion for Northeast Pennsylvania projects, creating 6,000 construction jobs annually and 3,000 permanent jobs.
- Workforce Development: AI training programs and apprenticeships to prepare workers for tech-driven jobs.
- Energy Strategy: Trump’s plan prioritizes fossil fuels and nuclear energy, with executive actions to streamline permitting and reduce regulatory barriers, including a National Council for Energy Dominance to accelerate infrastructure development.
Trump’s push follows his earlier actions, such as declaring a national energy emergency to fast-track power plants and rescinding Biden-era AI chip curbs to boost innovation. However, critics, including tech leaders like OpenAI’s Sam Altman, argue that relying on coal and other fossil fuels conflicts with the industry’s sustainability goals, as natural gas emits less CO2 than coal. A Duke University study suggests the U.S. grid may already have capacity for significant data center growth without major fossil fuel expansion, raising questions about the necessity of Trump’s fossil-heavy approach.
The summit, hosted by McCormick, underscores Pennsylvania’s role as a natural gas powerhouse and emerging tech hub, with recent investments like Amazon’s $20 billion data center project in the state. Trump’s strategy ties energy independence to national security, aiming to counter China’s AI advancements, such as DeepSeek’s R1 model, which disrupted markets earlier this year.