Trump Hosts Pittsburgh Summit as US Nears $90B AI, Energy Investments

President Trump attended the Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh to announce more than $90 billion in private-sector investments aimed at advancing energy infrastructure and artificial intelligence in Pennsylvania. The summit gathered top executives from major tech and energy companies such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, ExxonMobil, and Blackstone, highlighting efforts to position the U.S. as a global leader in AI amid growing competition with China. Key investments include Google's $3 billion hydropower deal and Blackstone's $25 billion commitment to data centers and energy projects, alongside a $15 billion investment to keep the Homer City natural gas power plant operational. The administration is also preparing executive actions to facilitate power project connections to the grid and streamline permitting for data centers through nationwide Clean Water Act permits, aiming to support the energy-intensive demands of AI expansion. Senator Dave McCormick emphasized the high stakes of the AI race, warning that failure to lead could result in ceding control of critical infrastructure and technology to China. Industry leaders welcomed the potential reforms but acknowledged that lasting solutions would require congressional action.