AI, Supercomputers, Semiconductors

“[Stargate] is a new American company that will invest $500 billion at least in AI Infrastructure in the United States and create over 100,000 American jobs almost immediately.” In January 2025, President Trump mentioned this Stargate project at a White House press conference in Washington, D.C. I didn’t know what Stargate was at the time, but I wanted to. With no sense of urgency though, I tucked that thought away, a mental bookmark under ‘Save for later’ to research.

A few weeks ago, I found myself immersed in a three-hour Senate hearing. It was all about Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductors, and Computer Chips. This important session, titled “Winning the AI Race: Strengthening U.S. Capabilities in Computing and Innovation,” brought together key figures from the tech world. Speakers included Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI), Dr. Lisa Su (CEO of AMD), Michael Intrator (Co-Founder of CoreWeave), and Brad Smith (Vice Chair and President of Microsoft).

It was during this hearing that a sincere remark by Mr. Altman made me pull out that “save for later” bookmark and start studying. He said, and I quote, “…I think it is easy for [Ai] to go too far. And as I learn more about how the world works, I am more afraid that it could go too far and have really bad consequences.” At this moment, my research into what AI truly is and what it means for America began in haste. Honestly, when I started, I thought this would be a quick and easy project, but to my surprise, it turned out to be far more extensive. Thanks, Sam!

This journey to understanding AI led me down a winding path of economic issues, massive building projects, worldwide competition, and big changes for society. To really understand where AI is headed and America’s role in it, my research looked at many things. I looked back at past inventions and economic worries, examined America’s current standing compared to other countries, and considered the future, especially how we can stay a global leader and keep the U.S. dollar strong. This first look showed me what Ai truly is and how deeply engrained into our economy it is. It strongly affects American communities and businesses today.

To help the U.S. win this AI race, experts are suggesting better AI education and clear rules for its safe growth. While I am not a tech expert, I am quite curious myself in learning more about Ai and how we can use it to create some of the most successful businesses in the world. So, let’s begin, shall we? Let’s discuss the facts of AI in relation to business, economics, and commercial real estate. Let’s also look at the communities surrounding some of these massive projects.

A Quick Lesson in Tech

Let’s talk about Artificial Intelligence, or AI. You might know programs like ChatGPT (from OpenAI), Gemini (from Google), and Copilot (from Microsoft). These AIs can understand what we type, answer questions, and help us create. Imagine a computer program that can help underwrite real estate deals, help with business taxes, or even suggest new recipes for your restaurant! To do all this, we need access to incredibly powerful computer chips—think of these chips as their very smart brains that process huge amounts of information in a flash.

To understand this even more, let’s clarify two important terms. A semiconductor refers to the special material (like silicon) that can control the flow of electricity. Think of it as the raw ingredient. A chip (also called a microchip or integrated circuit) is a tiny electronic device built for computer chips from semiconductor materials. As a finished product, it’s a miniature electronic circuit with billions of components etched onto that semiconductor material to perform these specific functions. In today’s world, these chips are the ‘brains’ that power everything from your phone to advanced AI systems.