Artificial intelligence is changing nearly every aspect of our economy. From health care and education to manufacturing and public safety, AI is transforming how we live and work. Behind every AI application is physical infrastructure—data centers that power the digital economy.

The question facing Minneapolis and Minnesota as a whole isn’t whether this infrastructure will be built.

It will.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the rapid growth of AI and cloud computing is expected to drive significant investment in new data centers over the next decade. As companies decide where to build that infrastructure, states will compete based on the reliability of their power grid, availability of skilled workers, permitting processes, and community support.

The real question is whether Minnesota will be prepared to compete for those investments while maintaining the high standards our communities expect.

At the Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council, we believe the answer is yes.

Minnesota should embrace responsible data center development that proceeds with care, caution, transparency, and accountability.

This isn’t an either-or choice between economic development and environmental stewardship. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate that we can achieve both.

Minnesota Is Built for This Moment

Few states are better positioned than Minnesota to establish a national model for responsible data center development.

We already have:

  • Highly skilled union construction professionals.
  • One of the nation’s strongest registered apprenticeship systems.
  • Robust environmental permitting and oversight.
  • Utility regulation that protects consumers.
  • A growing framework designed to ensure large energy users help pay for the infrastructure they require rather than shifting those costs onto families and small businesses.

Those strengths are competitive advantages.

Industry experts consistently point to reliable utilities, a skilled workforce, and predictable permitting as some of the most important factors companies consider when selecting sites for new data centers. Minnesota already has many of those advantages.

Rather than racing to the bottom, Minnesota can compete by demonstrating that economic growth, environmental stewardship, and workforce development reinforce one another.

Labor and Environmental Responsibility Go Hand in Hand

The labor movement has been remarkably consistent on this issue.

Recently, delegates representing more than 15 million workers unanimously adopted an AFL-CIO resolution recognizing data centers as critical infrastructure while calling for strong labor standards, environmental protections, transparency, and community accountability.

The resolution makes an important point: workers should not have to choose between good jobs and healthy communities.

Instead, it calls for data centers that:

  • Are built, operated, and maintained with union labor.
  • Use resources responsibly and efficiently.
  • Pay their fair share for energy and water infrastructure.
  • Invest in local communities.
  • Create pathways into registered apprenticeship programs and long-term careers.
  • Ensure transparency and accountability throughout development.

Those are the blueprint for responsible development.

Building Careers While Powering the Future

Every major infrastructure investment creates opportunities that extend well beyond construction.

Data centers generate demand for electricians, pipefitters, laborers, operating engineers, ironworkers, sheet metal workers, carpenters, and dozens of other skilled trades. Large data center campuses often employ hundreds—and in many cases more than a thousand—construction workers during peak construction.

These projects also create opportunities for apprentices entering the workforce and experienced journey workers supporting their families.

These are careers that cannot be outsourced. Construction, maintenance, and ongoing facility support happen right here in our communities. They are family-sustaining union careers with strong wages, benefits, retirement security, and opportunities for the next generation.

As AI continues to reshape our economy, Minnesota should ensure that working families benefit from that transformation.

Collaboration, Not Division

Communities deserve meaningful engagement. Local governments deserve transparency. Environmental impacts deserve careful review.

Those conversations make projects stronger.

At the same time, states across the country continue to compete aggressively for data center investment. The question for Minnesota is not whether these facilities will be built somewhere. It is whether projects that meet our environmental, labor, and community standards should also be built here.

If these facilities are going to be built (and they are) we should want them built under Minnesota’s rules by Minnesota workers with Minnesota values.

Let’s Lead

We can protect our natural resources while embracing innovation.

We can strengthen our economy while protecting working families.

We can demand accountability while welcoming investment.

Responsible data center development means moving forward thoughtfully.

The Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council supports an approach rooted in care, caution, collaboration, and accountability. One that protects our environment, strengthens our communities, creates union careers, and positions Minnesota as a leader in building the infrastructure that will power the next generation of American innovation.

Still have questions?

Many Minnesotans have understandable questions about data centers, from electricity demand and water use to noise, environmental impacts, and who pays for new infrastructure.

In our next post, we’ll take a closer look at those questions and explain how Minnesota’s approach can help ensure data centers are developed responsibly.