US Universities Sell Land or Build AI Centers Amid Growing Demand for Data Infrastructure

American universities are under growing pressure to respond to the artificial intelligence boom, with some choosing to monetize their real estate holdings. George Washington University sold its Virginia campus to Amazon Data Services to bolster its long-term financial stability and support its academic goals. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan is taking a different approach by constructing its own AI computing center dedicated to research. However, the Michigan project has faced pushback from local communities concerned about the scale of the planned facility. These contrasting strategies highlight how institutions are navigating the surging demand for AI infrastructure across the United States.