Mount Pleasant, WI – Governor Tony Evers joined Microsoft officials and local leaders to announce a major expansion of the company’s datacenter campus in Mount Pleasant. The additional $4 billion investment brings Microsoft’s total commitment in Wisconsin to over $7 billion, positioning the state as a global leader in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
“Throughout our history, innovation has been the key to Wisconsin’s success,” said Gov. Evers. “Microsoft’s investment puts Wisconsin on the very cutting edge of AI power, not just in the U.S., but throughout the world, while creating good, family-supporting jobs, growing our communities, and bolstering our critical biohealth, personalized medicine, and advanced manufacturing sectors.”
Microsoft’s datacenter campus in Mount Pleasant is part of a distributed training supercomputer network. The first facility is on track to go live in early 2026, and the second, similar in size and scale, is expected to be completed by 2028.
Key Highlights:
- $7 billion total investment in Wisconsin datacenter infrastructure
- 10,000+ Wisconsin workers supported during construction, including 3,000+ union jobs
- Second datacenter to be built by 2028, matching the scale of the first
- Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab launched at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- $500,000 WEDC grant supporting lab infrastructure and workforce development
- $2 million state investment in AI training grants for technical colleges
- Governor’s Task Force on Workforce and AI submitted final action plan in July 2024
- New bipartisan legislation passed to attract and support datacenter growth
“In the heart of the American Midwest, a modern marvel is rising,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft Vice Chair and President. “We’re building the world’s most powerful AI datacenter in Mount Pleasant—part of a region forged by generations of hard work and ingenuity. This facility is more than a technological feat. It’s a promise to grow responsibly, invest deeply, and create opportunities for Wisconsin and for the nation.”
Microsoft’s investment is also driving innovation and education. The company has launched the Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, helping hundreds of small and medium-sized businesses adopt AI technologies to improve productivity and competitiveness. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is supporting the lab with a $500,000 grant for capital improvements.
“Microsoft’s commitment to Wisconsin demonstrates that our state can attract and support the most innovative, forward-looking businesses in the world,” said Missy Hughes, WEDC Secretary and CEO.
Wisconsin’s designation as a Regional Tech Hub and recent bipartisan legislation have helped pave the way for Microsoft’s continued investment. Gov. Evers also signed an executive order creating the Governor’s Task Force on Workforce and Artificial Intelligence, which submitted its final report in July 2024. The 2025–27 Biennial Budget includes $2 million in grants to support AI adoption in technical colleges across the state.
This transformative investment is expected to create thousands of long-term jobs and position Wisconsin as a national leader in AI, data infrastructure, and workforce innovation.
