As artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure rapidly reshape economic competitiveness, states and regions face a defining policy question: how do we balance urgency, value creation, and community impact?
This session examines the juxtaposition of need, value, and impact:
- The urgent need for digital and energy capacity to remain globally competitive
- The economic and innovation value data centers can generate
- The infrastructure, environmental, grid, water, and community impacts that must be responsibly managed
Leaders will explore siting policy, grid readiness, public-private alignment, ratepayer considerations, and governance frameworks necessary to ensure that digital infrastructure strengthens—not strains—local communities. The discussion will focus on principled decision-making, long-term stewardship, and how public policy can align capital deployment with public trust.