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Building trades unions have long been considered a voice of the American worker. But they now are intertwined with the richest companies in the world as they create America’s artificial intelligence economy. Unionized workers are employed on massive data center projects and scrambling to recruit new apprentices to feed demand. Unions are allies of tech giants and tech-friendly government officials, helping counter fierce opposition in communities and hostile legislation in Congress and legislatures. For their part, tech execs talk of needing to train hundreds of thousands more skilled workers and spend millions on training programs.

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FILE - A data center owned by Amazon Web Services, front right, is under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick, Pa., Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)