(The Center Square) – Artificial intelligence is bringing about “the most consequential moment of change in human history” and Pennsylvania is well positioned to benefit from it, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick told a lunchtime gathering Monday.
McCormick, a second-year Republican with a military and business background, made the comments at a Pennsylvania Press Club event in the Hilton Harrisburg. He recapped highlights of his first 16 months in office, addressed questions Trump administration actions, and spoke enthusiastically about the potential of AI.
“It innovates on top of itself,” McCormick said. “And so it has the potential and the likelihood of fundamentally changing our society for the good and potentially for the bad.”
Last summer, McCormick took the lead in arranging a “Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit” held in Pittsburgh that was attended by President Donald Trump. Announcements by companies at the event told of tens of billions of dollars in Pennsylvania AI investment.
“Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of this moment,” McCormick said on Monday.
In recent months, proposals to build data centers necessary to run AI – and the tactics used to advance those proposals – have generated strong opposition in many locations in the state.
“I know there is controversy around the data centers,” McCormick said. Fundamental points in the discussion, according to McCormick, should be that data centers are “economic engines” and that decisions on where to put them “have to be made at the local level.”
On an unrelated topic, McCormick rejected any notion that he had something to do with the nomination by President Trump of state Sen. Doug Mastriano, a Franklin County Republican and 2022 gubernatorial candidate, to be U.S. ambassador to Slovakia. Although Mastriano previously said he would not run for governor this year, at least some in his party have spoken of a write-in campaign – which would distract from the party-endorsed Republican candidate, Treasurer Stacy Garrity.
“I did not make any calls,” McCormick said. However, he said it was “a great honor” for Mastriano to be tabbed for the ambassadorship.
Although polls have shown Democratic incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro with a significant lead over Garrity, McCormick noted that when he first announced his intention to seek elective office, he was given almost no chance of winning.
“I wouldn’t bet against her,” McCormick said.
Asked about financial struggles faced by hospitals, McCormick said rural hospitals face the worst situation.
“I think the answer is going to have to be around reinventing rural health care,” McCormick said. He touted the Trump administration’s financial support, including an announcement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that Pennsylvania would get $200 million this year to support rural health care initiatives.
The war in Iran has McCormick’s support.
“We cannot tolerate Iran having a nuclear weapon,” McCormick said. He added, “It’s been run by a bunch of radicals for 50 years.”
At the same time, he said the recent run-up in gasoline prices “is a direct result of this conflict.” The average price at the pump in Pennsylvania on Monday was $4.64 a gallon, or about 41% higher than the year-ago figure of $3.30.
Because of the direct correlation with the war, McCormick predicted gas prices would drop as soon as the war concludes.
