“We can’t afford as a state to be like leading the way in every high tax category.”
“What we said is we will pay our own way so that our data center does not increase the cost of electricity for the region or for the neighbors.”
Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith says affordability is driving Washington’s policy agenda, with housing at the top. He said the state must unlock more private capital by speeding permits and expanding buildable land. On AI, Smith urged humility about timelines, predicting adoption will unfold over “two to three decades, not two to three years.” He said Washington should not “take your strengths for granted” as tech investment shifts toward AI hubs in San Francisco, and he argued that people who learn and adapt will do best.