资金、电力、人才都抢不过！美国制造业正在输给AI

Core Insights - The resurgence of American manufacturing is facing unexpected competition from the AI data center boom, which is siphoning resources away from traditional manufacturing sectors, threatening the core policy goals of the Trump administration to revitalize U.S. industry [1][2][3] Investment Trends - Major players are expected to invest up to $4 trillion in AI infrastructure by 2030, comparable to the investment frenzy seen during the 19th-century railroad expansion [1][3] - Data center construction spending has surged by 18% this year, while new factory construction has declined by 2.5% [1][3] - The CEO of ABB noted that data center projects currently offer significantly higher returns compared to traditional manufacturing projects due to tariffs and labor shortages [3] Economic Impact - Pantheon Macroeconomics estimates that without AI-related infrastructure spending, U.S. GDP growth in the first half of 2025 would be only 1%, rather than the actual 1.6% [2] - Bloomberg Economics predicts that as tech giants increase AI capital spending from nearly $400 billion this year to $600 billion next year, AI could contribute an additional 1.5 percentage points to GDP growth [2] Energy Demand - A typical AI data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, with the largest under-construction data center expected to consume 20 times that amount [4] - Bloomberg Industry Research estimates that by 2032, data centers could account for 20% of U.S. electricity demand [4] Labor Market Dynamics - The U.S. is facing a shortage of 439,000 construction workers, exacerbated by the focus on AI infrastructure projects [6] - One-fifth of the American Building Contractors Association's members are currently engaged in data center projects, further straining the labor market [6] Policy Discrepancies - The Trump administration has provided extensive tariff exemptions for tech giants importing data center hardware, while being less responsive to requests for exemptions from manufacturers seeking to expand or build new factories [6][7] - The imposition of tariffs is seen as the largest tax increase on U.S. businesses since the early 1990s, with significant financial impacts on companies like Caterpillar and General Motors [7][8] Case Study: Lordstown - The transformation of the former General Motors plant in Lordstown into a data center equipment manufacturing site symbolizes the broader economic shift [2][9] - The project, expected to employ around 1,600 people, represents a fraction of the jobs lost in the area over the past two decades [10]