{"id":294047,"date":"2026-09-25T22:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T22:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/294047\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T22:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T22:22:09","slug":"pennsylvania-leaders-weigh-in-on-ai-and-data-centers-at-pittsburgh-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/294047\/","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania leaders weigh in on AI and data centers at Pittsburgh conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there\u2019s one thing most Americans agree on, it\u2019s that they don\u2019t want hyperscale AI data centers built in their neighborhoods. Despite a call from some AI leaders to slow the\u00a0technology\u2019s development, Pennsylvania leaders who spoke at the\u00a0AI Horizons\u00a0<\/a>conference in Pittsburgh last week\u00a0touted its benefits.<\/p>\n

So where do they stand on the AI build-out?<\/p>\n

The protestors: \u2018Our health is in danger\u2019<\/p>\n

About 30 people rallied along Penn Avenue in the morning of Sept. 17, just outside where the two-day conference was getting started. They held signs that read \u201cNo data centers,\u201d \u201cChallenge the AI power supply,\u201d and Cathy Mager\u2019s said, \u201cSpringdale deserves to breathe free.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I do not want a data center in my backyard,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Cathy Mager is worried about the health impacts of a planned data center in Springdale Borough. Photo: Julie Grant\/ The Allegheny Front<\/p>\n

Mager is worried about living near the hyperscale AI data center campus planned in Springdale<\/a> Borough. \u201cIt\u2019s bordered on three sides by homes, on the fourth side by the Allegheny River\u2026our health is in danger. We don\u2019t feel comfortable with it for many reasons,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Other protesters were worried about job losses to AI. Phoebe Reese of the Breathe Project, an environmental group, is worried about the energy demands of AI data centers, which will mean more fracking in the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are here today because the massive fossil fuel rollout to support AI data center infrastructure just doesn\u2019t math with climate science or public health data,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Data center opposition isn\u2019t only from environmental advocates. A Gallup poll<\/a> earlier this year found that more than 70 percent of Americans oppose construction of an AI data center in their area.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Mayor Cory O\u2019Connor: \u2018More jobs\u2019<\/p>\n

One conference panel included Jumbi Edulbehram of NVIDIA,<\/a> a leading AI company, who spoke enthusiastically about how cities can use AI, and how leaders can explain that to citizens.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t go and say \u2018Look, we\u2019re going to adopt AI for the sake of AI,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to adopt AI because it\u2019s going to be better traffic management, quicker, better, faster response to road conditions and potholes. And then you realize there\u2019s AI that goes into that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O\u2019Connor, who was also on the panel, spoke about using AI to improve traffic patterns and emergency management, support city budgeting and streamline permitting processes, as well as to attract companies to the city.<\/p>\n

\"\"At the AI Horizons Summit in Pittsburgh, a panel discussed how cities can use AI. From left: moderator Joanna Doven, CEO, AI Strike Team Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O\u2019Connor, Joe Depa, Ernst & Young, and Jumbi Edulbehram, NVIDIA. Photo: Julie Grant\/ The Allegheny Front<\/p>\n

\u201cThe push for what we\u2019re talking about is start-ups and entrepreneurs and expanding their companies, whether it\u2019s printing, 3D printing, whether it is different types of manufacturing,\u201d he said. \u201cAll of those things coming to Pittsburgh creates opportunities for Pittsburghers and more jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if a push for AI use would translate into the need for new data centers in the region, O\u2019Connor said he does not support data centers within city limits.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was not saying anything about expanding what you\u2019re talking about,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Labor leaders: \u2018This has meant so much to us\u2019<\/p>\n

At another panel discussion, Shawn Steffee, business agent of the Boilermakers Union Local 154 in Pittsburgh, said AI data centers have brought a resurgence<\/a> in his trade. New data centers need power, and that means new power plants.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Boilermakers are the heart of a power plant. We build the boiler, the internals, the stacks, the tanks,\u201d he explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Steffee gave the example of the new data center in Homer City, east of Pittsburgh, a $10 billion project that is reportedly<\/a> building the largest gas-fired power plant in the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this campus being built, the energy campus in Homer City, this has meant so much to us because for almost five years, we\u2019ve not taken one new apprentice in,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd just last week, we marked our 230th apprentice that we\u2019ve taken in the last six months.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toby Rice, President and CEO of EQT: \u2018I got really excited\u2019<\/p>\n

On the same conference panel, Toby Rice, President and CEO of EQT, a Pittsburgh-based energy company, said the more of these \u201cabsolutely massive\u201d data centers that are built, the more natural gas will be needed to power them, and that is good for his business.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen this AI boom came out a few years ago, I got really excited because they\u2019re going to need a lot of electricity,\u201d Rice said.<\/p>\n

He also touted royalties from the gas needed to power these data centers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFor every gigawatt of power generation that gets built, it is going to translate to $30 to $40 million in royalties that are going to be pumped into the communities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Rice compared opposition to data centers to opposition to fracking, citing concerns about noise, light and water use.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an incredibly difficult time for our leaders who have to listen to the people and their concerns, but we have to get past these concerns, address them, but really understand the issue, and then we need to lead\u2026so we can focus on the opportunities,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Governor Josh Shapiro: \u2018It\u2019s a false choice\u2019<\/p>\n

Governor Josh Shapiro\u2019s afternoon speech was billed as a keynote on \u201cinnovation, economic growth and Pennsylvania\u2019s opportunity to lead the next era of American technology and industry.\u201d He said last year at this same conference he touted AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI talked about the promise and the possibility of AI and what it means for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I talked about how AI can create efficiencies, better health outcomes, assist workers in their daily tasks if it is developed in responsible and ethical ways. I still believe that opportunity exists,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

But he said the events of the past several weeks have made it clear that \u201cwe cannot ignore the warning signs nor downplay the very real risks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"PA Governor Josh Shapiro called for AI technology guardrails. Photo: Julie Grant\/ The Allegheny Front<\/p>\n

He was referring to recent reports<\/a> of concerning behavior by AI models, including hiding mistakes, making up data, moving files to the open internet without permission, and hacking other organizations.<\/a><\/p>\n

While tech leaders have called for a slowdown<\/a> in development of the technology,\u00a0 President Trump<\/a> has rejected efforts to regulate AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shapiro, a potential 2028 presidential contender, said it is possible that the U.S. can regulate AI without shutting down the technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a false choice to say that our only two options in America are to do what Donald Trump is saying, that we should ignore the risks and go full steam ahead, or on the other hand, to completely stop work on AI development indefinitely,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is a better, more thoughtful way, and that is what we have to collectively work toward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shapiro did not talk about data centers, but his recent Executive Order<\/a> requires local government approval before the state will consider permits for a new data center.<\/p>\n

Shapiro calls on Trump to regulate artificial intelligence development<\/a><\/p>\n

Senator John Fetterman: \u2018We\u2019re going to need data centers\u2019<\/p>\n

Democratic Senator John Fetterman said he does not agree with putting guardrails on AI technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cNo one really knows exactly what a guardrail is, because we\u2019re talking about superintelligence,\u201d he said, adding that if the U.S. had regulated ChatGPT a few years ago, as had been discussed, the country would have fallen behind China in the AI race.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI is inevitable,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt can be us, or it could be the Chinese, and we can live under their rules.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fetterman called for a Cabinet-level position on AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAI will transform not just transportation, agriculture, you know, all of it,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s entirely appropriate to put that front and center and make it formal in our government now.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an article in The Hill<\/a>, Fetterman called progressive Democrats\u2019 push for a pause in new data centers \u201cridiculous.\u201d At the conference, Fetterman suggested opposition to new data centers is being stoked by a U.S. competitor.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow where does the opposition of data centers seem to come?\u201d he said. \u201cThey are coming from our adversary and a lot of paid, paid kinds of targeting, and how they went from nowhere into absolutely into a political barn burner, and now it makes it seem like it\u2019s a scourge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senator David McCormick: \u2018It depends on how we manage this moment\u2019<\/p>\n

Republican Senator David McCormick said AI is benefiting society in many ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s happening in life sciences and the advancements because of AI to solve rare diseases, to increase productivity, to bring wealth and opportunity and productivity to our workforce; it\u2019s remarkable. It also poses risks,\u201d he said. \u201cSo it really depends on what we do. It depends on how we manage this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

McCormick said the government shouldn\u2019t get in the way of technological innovation; instead, he called on the industry to regulate itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a responsibility that exists with the companies, and there\u2019s responsibility that I think we can ensure the right guidelines and rules with an industry-led operation involving the government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Energy suppliers: \u2018We\u2019re ready for it\u2019<\/p>\n

Another conference panel addressed how to deliver the energy needed<\/a> for data centers. According to the state, more than 100 have been proposed<\/a> in Pennsylvania. A recent report<\/a> estimates that electricity demand in the state will likely double by 2040, with most of the demand coming from data centers, and warns of increasing blackouts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Panelists, including power suppliers and pipeline and energy companies, talked about the need to expand infrastructure and improve the electric grid.<\/p>\n

Brian Guzek, vice president of operations at Duquesne Light Company, which supplies electricity in Allegheny and Beaver counties, said he is optimistic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI imagine a world of incredible grid flexibility. We\u2019re going to invest $2.7 billion by 2030,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are ready for it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If there\u2019s one thing most Americans agree on, it\u2019s that they don\u2019t want hyperscale AI data centers built…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":294048,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[2116,13740,20374,73,75,74],"class_list":["post-294047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pittsburgh","tag-data-centers","tag-fracking","tag-natural-gas","tag-pittsburgh","tag-pittsburgh-headlines","tag-pittsburgh-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=294047"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294047\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=294047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=294047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=294047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}