Compass Resource Spotlight: Building Toward Economic Sovereignty in the Digital Age

Compass Resource Spotlight: Building Toward Economic Sovereignty in the Digital Age

As communities across Michigan explore opportunities created by AI, cloud computing, broadband expansion, and emerging digital infrastructure, a valuable resource from the Michigan State University Quello Center helps local leaders ask a critical question:

How can we ensure that digital infrastructure development benefits our communities for generations to come? 1

The Quello Center’s Emerging Digital Infrastructures initiative examines the local impacts of data centers and other digital infrastructure investments, focusing on issues such as energy use, water resources, land use, taxation, community benefit, and infrastructure governance. The research is especially relevant for rural and under-resourced communities that are increasingly being considered for future digital infrastructure projects. 1

One of the most practical resources available is the “How Likely is a Data Center Developer Interested in My Community?” self-assessment. Designed for local governments, this five-question exercise helps communities understand their potential attractiveness for future development and the urgency of planning for it. 1

For Michigan communities, however, the conversation extends beyond attracting investment.

Economic growth occurs when communities attract investment. Economic sovereignty occurs when communities shape, share, and sustain the value that investment creates.

Whether the opportunity is a regional edge data center, a community microgrid, expanded broadband infrastructure, workforce development initiatives, or future AI-enabled services, communities that prepare early are better positioned to influence outcomes rather than simply react to them.

The Quello Center’s work encourages communities to understand not only what is being proposed, but also who benefits, who bears the costs, and how local leaders can create transparent and equitable governance structures around emerging infrastructure. 1

For rural Michigan, the future may not be defined by landing a hyperscale data center. Instead, it may be found in creating resilient local ecosystems of broadband, energy, edge computing, education, and workforce development that keep more value circulating within the community.

The question is not simply:

“How do we attract digital infrastructure?”

It is:

“How do we build the capacity to own our future within the digital economy?”

Explore the resource:

Emerging Digital Infrastructures – Quello Center 1

Communities that prepare before opportunities arrive are often the ones best positioned to turn investment into long-term prosperity, resilience, and sovereignty.