Construction workers benefit from artificial intelligence boom

The AI ​​boom has proven to be a windfall for construction workers building the massive data centers that power them. According to the Wall Street JournalWorkers who move into data center construction see wage jumps of 25% to 30% compared to their previous jobs — and in some cases, much more.

Among them is Daymond Chambliss, who has replaced his small drywall business in Columbus, Ohio, with a supervisor role supervising 200 workers at a data center site. He now makes more than $100,000 a year. “I pinch myself when I go to work every day,” the 51-year-old tells the newspaper. In Oregon, electrical safety specialist Mark Penner makes $225,000 a year, while electrician Andrew Mason makes more than $200,000 managing workers at six data centers in Northern Virginia.

The paper points out that this is not just about higher basic wages. Companies are making things better with perks like heated break tents, free lunches, daily incentive bonuses, and even remote project management positions. One construction site offers workers $100 in daily incentives, which can add up.

The increase comes as tech giants like Amazon, Google and Microsoft race to build hundreds of new data centers, hitting an industry-wide shortage of about 439,000 skilled workers, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors trade group.