Agent Create Architecture said it was hoped the centre would “assist with regeneration of the heavy industry industrial area for Teesside and the immediate environment”.
McDonald said: “This is exactly the kind of investment our community deserves – not just jobs for today, but skills and opportunities for the future.
“Stockton, Billingham and Norton have always been places of industry and innovation, and now we’re leading again in a cutting-edge sector that underpins the modern economy.”
The announcement comes almost a fortnight after the government announced plans to create an AI growth zone in the North East, which includes two sites in Northumberland and Tyneside.
However, Teesworks in Redcar was not included in the initial announcement. The government said it was working through more than 200 proposals, including Redcar, to “identify the most promising”.