next-generation technology investment. The new law establishes the Certified Microgrid Program and the High Impact Data Center Program, which enable West Virginia to attract significant data center investment while strengthening the state’ s energy independence and technological competitiveness.
To fully take advantage of this opportunity, West Virginia must overcome a longstanding challenge: workforce participation. The state currently has the lowest labor force participation rate in the country. If the state is to meet the labor demands of a modern tech-driven economy, it must invest in its people. This investment has already begun with programs like the West Virginia Amazon Web Services Tech Alliance, which is building digital literacy and cyber skills in underserved communities. Public-private partnerships with universities and trade schools are aligning educational pathways with the needs of the data economy.
West Virginia has long thrived on ingenuity, grit and practical innovation. As GenAI reshapes the global economy, opportunity lies not just in using the technology but in powering it, just as past generations powered the industries of their time. With thoughtful leadership from business, legal and public policy stakeholders, West Virginia can become a key player in GenAI. •
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