MILWAUKEE — Microsoft will invest $3.3 billion in southeastern Wisconsin to build a new data center in Mount Pleasant, an academy to train future workers with Gateway Technical College, and a lab on the UW-Milwaukee campus — all focused on innovation through artificial intelligence (AI).
Anisha Tasnim, a student at UWM, uses AI on a number of projects as she works on her Ph.D in Computer Science.
"It's an amazing tool,” Tasnim said.
A tool she will work with even more during her time at UWM.
"We're all excited about AI and you can do whatever you need to do because it is now ruling the world,” Tasnim said.
This is a special investment by Microsoft. The company's CEO, Satya Nadella, is a UWM alum.
“There's not so many schools that get the opportunity to work with Microsoft and we are one of them. It's so amazing and we will be able to work with them very closely when the project starts,” Tasnim explained.
The lab will give students hands-on learning with AI, and connect them to Wisconsin manufacturers and Microsoft AI experts. There are only six of these labs in the entire world. This will be the first one on a college campus.
"It really puts us more on the map and really is going to open up the possibility of more senior design projects, more research to be done, more working with professors to find different ways to implement new technology,” UWM student, Kevin Klocko explained.
The AI lab will be built in the Connected Systems Institute attached to the library. It will be a place for students and local manufacturers to learn and grow together.
"Our mission is to really develop the future manufacturing workforce with skills in AI and other advanced manufacturing technologies,” Executive Director of Connected Systems Institute, Joe Hamann explained.
UWM hopes to have the ball rolling on construction within the next 120 days.
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