Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick sponsored the inaugural Energy and Innovation Summit earlier this week at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
It was attended by leaders from major tech, finance and energy companies as well as government leaders and members of the President’s Cabinet.
President Trump also spoke at the summit and led the round table discussion that concluded the day-long event.
Chief Investigator Rick Earle covered the summit on Tuesday and on Thursday morning, Earle spoke exclusively with Senator McCormick about the gathering.
Earle: Can Pittsburgh become the Artificial Intelligence Capital of the world?
Senator McCormick: I really do think it can be, certainly of America. We have the jewel, it’s an absolute jewel, of Carnegie Mellon (University). We have the jewel of these incredibly skilled workers.
Earle spoke with Senator McCormick about the first-ever Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation summit at CMU that attracted tech, energy, government and finance leaders from around the world.
It ended with a round table discussion led by President Trump.
“Something special happened where you had 60 of the most significant business leaders in the world that came to Pennsylvania in artificial intelligence, and technology and energy and investment. That alone is a huge step forward,” said McCormick.
McCormick said the summit was a resounding success and sent a message to the world about Pennsylvania.
“It was reported around the world on television. Every major CEO saw that. Wow. That’s the place where the energy revolution, the AI revolution are coming together. So, I do think this is laying the groundwork for more and more investment,” said McCormick.
During the summit, McCormick unveiled a list of 20 companies that have promised to invest $92 billion in Pennsylvania to build data centers, artificial intelligence and energy plants, including one in Homer City, Indiana County.
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Many of the data centers will rely on the abundance of natural gas in Pennsylvania.
Some will also be powered by 10 nuclear power plants that Cranberry-based Westinghouse has committed to build across the country.
McCormick said the massive financial investment will translate into tens of thousands of jobs across the commonwealth.
He also praised Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro for attending the summit and embracing the energy and AI movement.
“I had invited a number of prominent democrats from our area, as well as the Governor, and obviously the many Republicans. This is bipartisan in the sense that jobs and opportunity, is something we all should want,” said McCormick.
Shapiro said the financial commitments are now on the record and he will see to it that the companies live up to those promises.
McCormick told Earle he would also make sure that the companies uphold the financial commitments.
McCormick said the summit put Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania on the map, and ready to lead the country in energy and AI.
McCormick said Pennsylvania is competing against the rest of the country.
“This is a race, and right now, I can assure you the Governors and the Senators and many have told me in West Virginia and Ohio and Virginia and Georgia and Texas are saying, ‘Whoa, what the hell is happening in Pennsylvania? We got to make sure that next investment doesn’t go there. It’s got to come to us,’ So we got to, we got to. show that Pennsylvania is unique and that we got a lot to offer,” McCormick said
McCormick highlighted cutting-edge research institutions like CMU, a skilled and energetic workforce, an abundance of natural gas and politicians focused on the movement.
McCormick also attempted to calm the fears of critics who said the demand for more energy could harm the environment.
“Climate change is a real thing and human activity contributes to it. The best way to bend carbon emissions is fracking and natural gas,” said McCormick.
McCormick also addressed criticism from Democratic Pennsylvania State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta of Philadelphia, who said in a news release that “the projects ‘announced’ include many investments from the last administration.”
Kenyatta was referring to the democratic administration of President Joe Biden.
“If some of the good work that we were able to highlight the other day had started under the Biden administration, hallelujah, I embrace it. I just want good things to happen in Pennsylvania,” said McCormick.
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