Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Alphabet Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat on Friday announced a $1 billion investment to expand Google’s Virginia data center campuses this year including two Loudoun County sites.
The $1 billion investment brings Google’s total investment in the state to more than $4.2 billion. Google calculates its Loudoun County investment at more than $1 billion.
“Google’s ongoing investment in Virginia is a testament to our state’s skilled talent, robust infrastructure, and leadership in advancing the development and application of emerging technologies,”Youngkin stated in the April 26 announcement. “We are proud that Google is furthering its commitments to Virginia’s economic growth by investing an additional $1 billion in our Loudoun County and Prince William data center campuses.”
The company also announced two new AI workforce development initiatives—a $75 million Google.org AI Opportunity Fund and a new Google AI Essentials course—to help workers and students in Virginia realize the economic benefits of new technologies.
“Our AI Essentials Course and $75 million Google.org AI Opportunity Fund will help provide access to the economic opportunities AI can offer,” Porat stated. “Together with our partners and community-led organizations, Google is committed to delivering targeted AI skilling and training so that Virginians, veterans, and millions of others can make the most of the opportunities of today and tomorrow.”
The AI Essentials course will teach people to use AI in day-to-day work. In under 10 hours, people will get hands-on experience using AI to help with work tasks through videos, readings, and interactive exercises. After completing the course, participants will earn a certificate from Google to share with their network. The course is $49 on Coursera and will also be available at no cost in Virginia through select nonprofits, including IVMF and Goodwill. Darden Executive Education and Lifelong Learning will also provide the course to working learners.
To learn more go to Google in Virginia.
(4) comments
Mandate that data centers be covered with solar panels - help reduce the need for more power lines.
The elictricity line necessary for the largest data hub on the planet will harm the viability of our farm. As my family has chosen to continue our 74 years of farming, we will depend on visitors to our farm to sell our Wine, Grass fed Angus and Lamb directly to the end comsumer. Commodity farming does not pencil out in Loudoun. This is a real gut punch to us. Had we sold out for houses, the 500 KV powerline would most likely not cut through our farm. This is a real delima for everyone who enjoys the vast beauty of Western Loudoun. Present planning has the 110' tall towers cut a permanant scar through our vineyard and pastures.
The county should immediately stop issuing building permits for data center related construction until an acceptable solution to increased power needs is identified and implemented. Power lines criss-crossing Loudoun county to serve Google, Amazon and other trillion$ corporations is not acceptable.
Great. What a deal. Now that we know the power cost of data centers, do we really want them in fact, in my view Loudoun should. stop building any data centers. The tax money is nice, but the cost of electricity and transmission line costs are gonna be awful and will be borne by Loudoun residents.
They need to change the law so the data centers pay for their power at full rates not discounted.
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