But there’s another dimension of the AI talent wars that has garnered far less attention: the massive shortage of electricians, plumbers, and heating and cooling technicians in the US who can build the physical data centers that power AI. The rapid construction of AI data centers across the country is likely a major driver of demand for skilled tradespeople. Tech companies building data centers have to compete for trades talent with other construction projects, including residential housing, hospitals, factories, and energy facilities. “We have had a skilled construction worker shortage in America for years,” says Anirban Basu, chief economist of the Associated Builders and Contractors, a trade group for the construction industry. As a result, Basu explains, the construction workers with the most advanced skills are now reaching retirement age.