• by Colin Kirkland , 2 hours ago

Global tech companies competing to develop intelligent AI models are pledging billions of dollars for U.S. data centers -- citing job creation, “AI leadership” and President Trump’s “AI Action Plan” as reasons to invest in the emerging technology. 

This week, two major technology companies -- Meta and Anthropic -- announced separate plans to spend billions on the construction and upkeep of data centers in various regions across the U.S. 

Anthropic -- creator of popular large-language model Claude -- plans to spend $50 billion in American computing infrastructure over the next year, building data centers in Texas and New York, with “more sites to come,” per the company’s recent blog post.

Working with the AI cloud platform “Fluidstack,” Anthropic’s statement explains how the partnership will enable the delivery of gigawatts of power.

The company says this amount of power is essential to meet the growing demand of Claude, which now serves over 300,000 business customers. 

In addition, Anthropic’s U.S. data centers are expected to create 800 permanent jobs and 2,400 construction jobs, while furthering the goals set by Trump’s AI Action Plan, a set of proposals focused on expanding stateside AI-related infrastructure and effectively “winning the AI race” against China and other global competitors.

Meta is also helping further the administration’s private-sector and largely deregulated AI goals, having announced on Tuesday that it commits to spending over $600 billion in the U.S. over the next three years.

Like Anthropic’s stateside investments, the majority of Meta’s spending is slated to go to its data-center initiatives. 

In its announcement, Meta also showcased the economic impact its AI investment would have on the U.S., stating that its data-center construction is set to bring over $20 billion in business to subcontractors, as well as the addition of updated power grid infrastructure, new energy, and new roads and water systems. 

Despite environmental concerns regarding areas surrounding data centers, noise pollution, and power capacity, other tech giants have also been invited to build for AI on American soil.

Anthropic rival and ChatGPT maker OpenAI teamed up with SoftBank in January to launch “Stargate,” a $500 billion project with planned data center sites in Michigan, Ohio, Texas, and New Mexico. 

Last week, questions arose regarding the federal government’s role in supporting the unprecedented data center construction when a letter from OpenAI’s chief of global affairs officer Chris Lehane to the White House’s Director of Science and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios asked the government to include AI data center and grid components to the Biden administration’s Chips Act 35% tax credit. 

The letter also called for the fast-tracking of the environmental review process deemed necessary for data center construction. 

Upon announcing the AI Action Plan, Trump said: “My administration will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that the United States can build and maintain the largest, most powerful, and most advanced AI infrastructure anywhere on the planet.” 

However, Trump’s plan has been called “a corporate giveaway” by progressive consumer rights watchdog Public Citizen, which added that the government’s AI agenda allegedly “prioritizes corporate profits over public safety.”

Prior to Trump’s second term, the Biden administration adopted measures focused on enhancing government oversight over AI development, demanding that tech companies thoroughly test their advanced models to help protect against potentially harmful outcomes. 

But the Trump administration has eliminated major AI restraints, committing to the fast-tracking of federal permitting and reviews, and penalties for states and municipalities that attempt to impose limits on AI development.