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Google on Friday announced a $1 billion investment to expand its Virginia data centers, including two Loudoun County sites and a newly opened Prince William County campus.
Google President and CEO Ruth Porat was joined by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin at the company’s Reston headquarters to announce the initiative, which brings Google’s total investment in the state to more than $4.2 billion.
The company also announced two new AI workforce development initiatives — a $75 million AI opportunity fund and a new Google AI essentials Coursera course — to help workers lean about the new technology.
“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,” Porat said in a prepared statement.
Google said the company’s investments in its Virginia data centers play an essential role in supporting the company’s AI tech and cloud business. Google’s data centers help power popular digital services — like Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Search and Maps.
“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 said in a statement. “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, and by offering its new Google AI Essentials course to veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, workers and students throughout the Commonwealth.”
Through its new $75 million dollar AI Opportunity Fund, Google.org, the company’s philanthropy arm, will help over one million Americans learn essential AI skills by providing grants to best-in-class workforce development and education organizations.
The D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families at at Syracuse University was one of the fund’s first recipients. Since 2013, Google.org has supported the institute in its work preparing transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses to bring their skills and experience to civilian careers. The institute will offer Google’s new AI Essentials course and the Google Cybersecurity Certificate to their Onward to Opportunity (O2O) participants in Virginia and across the country.
“The IVMF is proud to receive continued support from Google.org by not only offering cybersecurity training but also enhancing post-military service career preparation through the new Google AI Essentials course. Empowering transitioning service members, military spouses, and veterans with access to advanced certifications and skills is crucial in shaping a resilient future, particularly in an increasingly digital workplace,” said Dr. Mike Haynie, executive director of the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.
He continued, “Support from Google.org empowers the IVMF to ensure that veterans and military families can access and leverage crucial cyber and digital education and thus benefit from the revolutionary power of advanced technologies. The Commonwealth of Virginia and its deeply rooted connection to the military community and number of military-connected families is an ideal location to launch this initiative.”
