COLUMBUS, Ohio — Google on Monday announced plans to invest $1.7 billion in Ohio, building on the more than $2 billion the company already invested in the state.
The company said its continued investment in technical infrastructure plays a role in supporting its Google Cloud and business efforts.
In May, Google announced that it is adding two more data centers in central Ohio: one in Columbus and one in Lancaster. With the New Albany location already open, this brings the number of Google data centers in Ohio to three.
“Ohio is a growing technology hub and data center market, and we welcome these two new Google projects in Columbus and Lancaster to complement the one already in New Albany,” Gov. Mike DeWine said. “Google joins the growing number of companies that recognize that Ohio is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Google says construction is underway at both the Columbus and Lancaster sites. Once completed, the data centers will help power the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) innovations and tools like Search, Gmail, and Maps.
Mark Isakowitz, Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy, said the additional money will be used to complete the Columbus and Lancaster centers and expand the New Albany facility, but did not disclose more specific details.
Lt. Governor Jon Husted said the investment solidifies Ohio as the tech hub of the Midwest.
“Construction jobs, lots of them. Jobs in HVAC, jobs for electricians, network engineers,” Husted said.
The work that will be done at the facilities will benefit everyone who uses googles platform.
“This is where the heart of AI is, there is where processing occur. The innovation, education, and customer service and how we can use those technologies to be leaders in improving quality of peoples lives,” Husted said.
Ohio is seeing a wave of big investments in the technology industry.
Intel is building a $20 billion chip factory just east of Columbus, and Honda and LG Energy Solution of South Korea are building a $3.5 billion battery plant between Columbus and Cincinnati that the automaker envisions as its North American electric vehicle hub.
The area around Columbus also is home to data centers operated by Facebook and Amazon.