ASHWAUBENON, Wis. — Microsoft is investing more than $3 billion in Wisconsin for artificial intelligence (AI) innovation.
A new multi-billion dollar plan from Microsoft is designed to make Wisconsin a national leader in advanced manufacturing.
Craig Dickman said TitletownTech in Ashwaubenon will have a hand in helping make that happen through an innovation lab for manufacturing.
“We’ll be working with startups and existing companies that have an idea and who fundamentally believe AI can be used to solve a really significant problem,” he said. “They’ll come in the lab, work with experts, have access to state-of-the-art tools and capabilities with the idea that emerging from it will be a prototype or a product they can take to market and see if it solves a problem the way that they think.”
Dickman is a managing partner with TitletownTech, which was founded in 2017, in partnership with the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft.
One of its specialities is providing venture capital to tech and other businesses.
“I think it really starts with the core here in Wisconsin because we have the talent who has been building and making things for years. They’re the ones who see the problems, they’re the ones who see the opportunities. It really does start here in Wisconsin,” Dickman said. “But I think it’s important to recognize it will go beyond our borders. When you think of where centers of excellence exist, talent want to come where things are happening.”
Microsoft and President Joe Biden announced plans Wednesday for the development of a $3.3 billion data center campus in Mount Pleasant. The center is focused on expanding Microsoft’s AI and cloud capabilities.
Other facets of the project include a manufacturing focused AI innovation lab at UW-Milwaukee. TitletownTech, the Packers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation are partners on that project.
“Obviously, first and foremost is winning championships, but supporting the community and we’re also the state’s team,” said Packers President Mark Murphy. “I can not think of something that is going to be more impactful in the state.”
Murphy said this hub is one of only a few.
“I think there are seven AI labs in the world and this only the third one in the United States,” he said. “It’s the first one that’s not on one of the coasts.”
The Microsoft plan is also expected to train and upskill more than 100,000 people in the state in generative AI by 2030.
“Companies are going to be able to create in this lab and come out with things that will hopefully fundamentally change their business, make them more competitive, and in total make the Wisconsin economy more competitive globally,” Dickman said.