Published

February 10, 2017

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from the C_TEC Blog

Intel took a major step on Wednesday in promoting not only American job growth, but also the growth and innovation of the tech industry. CEO Brian Krzanich announced that Intel will be investing $7 billion into a new factory in Arizona—a state that has been making great strides in providing an incubator for technology such as autonomous vehicles and drones.

The factory, which will primarily produce chips for smartphones and data centers, will create roughly 3,000 jobs after its completion. This announcement comes at a critical time in which there is an emphasis on job creation under the new administration. Krzanich made a point to address how changing regulations in the market will be a key to providing new opportunities for companies to invest in expansion efforts which help boost American job growth.

This move by Intel is good news for Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who continues to work toward making Arizona a state that welcomes innovation. Ducey’s commitment to innovation has kept his state at the forefront of emerging technologies and their inclusion into the economy, and can be seen in his administration’s positive outlook for the future of automated vehicles in the state.

On January 30th, the Chamber Technology Engagement Center hosted liaisons from the Governors’ offices of both Arizona and Michigan to discuss the progress that their states are making on automated vehicles. The liaison for the Arizona Governor expressed optimism about their state’s partnerships with tech companies such as Uber to bring automated vehicles to the forefront of everyday life. It looks as though Ducey is ready to continue Arizona’s tech focus by welcoming manufacturers such as Intel, who will play a key role in the advancement of emerging technology.

With more companies like Intel investing their capital, Arizona is sure to become another big player in the technology boom. Seeing the benefits that tech-friendly policies can have on jobs, economic growth, and innovation, more states should take note of how Arizona is adapting in order to attract capital investment from companies in the technology sector.