Staff Reports
In battleground Wisconsin, President Joe Biden praised a $3.3 billion Microsoft project that promises thousands of construction and permanent jobs. Biden took a jab at his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, who had previously touted a $10 billion development from Taiwanese chip manufacturer Foxconn. Biden criticized Trump’s economic and industrial policies, but did not mention him by name. The Republican National Committee Chairman, Michael Whatley, fired back at Biden’s speech, claiming that Wisconsinites are feeling the impacts of “Bidenomics” with stalled manufacturing, shuttering family farms, and increased costs for electricity, gas, food, and housing.
Microsoft’s data center project, which was announced shortly before Biden’s appearance, is expected to provide employment opportunities for Wisconsinites and includes plans to collaborate with Gateway Technical College to offer training in datacenter and STEM roles. Microsoft also aims to establish a Co-Innovation Lab and partner with Gener8tor to train business leaders in adopting AI for their operations. Microsoft Vice Chairman and President Brad Smith emphasized the significance of the project in advancing AI and cloud data centers, emphasizing its potential to drive the future of manufacturing and create jobs and skills in Wisconsin and beyond.
