Microsoft Chooses Wisconsin for Next AI Supercomputer Powerhouse

Microsoft announced plans to build a second massive artificial intelligence (AI) data center in Wisconsin, bringing its total investment in the state to more than $7 billion.

The new project will join a $3.3 billion facility in Mount Pleasant, Racine County, that was unveiled in 2023 and is expected to open in 2026. Together, the two centers are projected to employ about 800 workers at full capacity, making the southeastern Wisconsin site one of the largest AI hubs in the Midwest.

The location has political and economic significance. Once earmarked for a $10 billion Foxconn electronics factory that never materialized, the site has since become a symbol of shifting U.S. industrial priorities.

Both President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have highlighted the area in visits, with Biden pointing to Microsoft’s follow-through as a contrast to Foxconn’s retreat.

Microsoft says the expanded site will house the world’s most powerful AI supercomputer, built with hundreds of thousands of Nvidia chips.

The company also pledged to pre-pay for new electrical infrastructure and adopt an advanced cooling system, reducing water use to that of an average restaurant. Officials say the project reinforces U.S. leadership in the global AI race.