October 2025 Tech Upload
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NEW Digital News
Dive into Innovation — Wisconsin Tech Month is Here! 🚀
October marks a special time for all of us in Wisconsin’s tech community—Wisconsin Tech Month is happening all across the state! It’s a month-long celebration of innovation, collaboration, and the growing strength of our tech ecosystem.
What is Wisconsin Tech Month?
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It’s a statewide initiative in October that brings together organizations, startups, companies, technologists, educators, and advocates to showcase the amazing work being done in tech.Â
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Events include policy & advocacy, workshops, hackathons, meetups, networking opportunities, talks, and more—designed to strengthen connections, spark new ideas, and highlight talent across Wisconsin.Â
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There are themed weeks: MKE Tech Week, Dev Week, Women in Tech Week, Midwest Tech Week, etc., so there’s something for everyone.
Why You’ll Want to Be Part of It
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Learn & Grow: Attend workshops or speaker sessions to sharpen your skills, stay up to date on trends (AI, privacy, development, etc.), and network with others.Â
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Connect: Meet people across industries—entrepreneurs, mentors, educators, technologists. Whether you’re looking for collaboration, partnership, or inspiration, there’s no shortage of opportunity.
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Contribute: You can also host events, share stories, or help spread the word. Plus, there are incentives for entities that organize events under the Wisconsin Tech Month banner.Â
Want to see what’s happening near you?
Check out the full calendar of events—and learn more about how you can attend, host, sponsor, or just follow along—by visiting witechmonth.com. All of the details are there.
Let’s build the future—together.
Upcoming northeast Wisconsin IT events
The Places You Can Go | Virtual Event
Thursday, October 2
3:15 – 4:45 p.m.
Virtual event
Organizer: Women in Technology Wisconsin
The Age of Influence: Building Connected Futures
Thursday, October 7
8:30 – 11 a.m.
Kroc Community Center, Bellevue, WI
Organizer: NEW B.O.O.S.T. for Hidden Talent Digital Navigator Network
Tech & Tell
Wednesday, October 8
3:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Lakeshore Park Four Seasons Building, Oshkosh, WI
Organizer: Amplify
2025 Equity in Tech Summit
Tuesday, October 14
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Discovery World, Milwaukee, WI
Organizer: Wisconsin Tech Month (WTM)
Innovate.HBS 2025
Tuesday, October 21 & Wednesday, October 22
2 – 6:30 p.m. & 8 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Organizer: HBS
Interactive Workshop with Cybersecurity Experts: Outsmarting a Crisis
Friday, October 24
7 – 9 a.m.
Fox Valley Technical College | D.J. Bordini Center, Appleton, WI
Organizer: Women in Technology Wisconsin
Microsoft announces $4B investment in second data center in Racine County
(Photo credit: Angela Major/WPR)
By Evan Casey
Wisconsin Public Radio
Microsoft is making a significant long-term investment in Racine County, Wisconsin, with the announcement of a $4 billion expansion to build a second data center in Mount Pleasant. This follows a roughly $3.3 billion data center already under construction in the same community, bringing Microsoft’s total investment in the area to over $7 billion. These projects mark some of the largest private technology investments in Wisconsin history, signaling both the company’s commitment to AI infrastructure and the growing importance of the Midwest in the national technology landscape.Â
The first Mount Pleasant data center is expected to be operational by early 2026, employing around 500 full-time staff. With the second facility scheduled to open around 2027, total employment for both campuses is projected to reach 800–900 people, creating high-tech jobs and boosting the local economy. Beyond job creation, these campuses are being designed to support advanced AI model development and testing, making the Mount Pleasant area a hub for next-generation technology and innovation.
Energy, Water, and Sustainability Considerations
The massive scale of these data centers comes with substantial resource needs. Together, the campuses could demand up to 9 gigawatts of electricity once fully operational. To address this, Microsoft is investing in a 250-megawatt solar farm in Portage County and has committed to supplying carbon-free energy back to the grid to offset fossil fuel use. Water conservation is also a priority: the first data center will feature a closed-loop cooling system designed to minimize water withdrawals from local sources while keeping operations efficient and sustainable.Â
Microsoft’s expansion illustrates the intersection of AI, cloud computing, and regional economic development. By investing in high-tech infrastructure, sustainable energy, and local workforce development, these data centers are expected to have a lasting impact on Wisconsin’s economy. The Mount Pleasant campuses not only position the state as a growing technology hub but also highlight how private-sector investments in advanced computing can support innovation, environmental sustainability, and job creation simultaneously.
Free event explores digital inclusion efforts in New North
By A free event designed to explore practical ways to support digital inclusion across generations and capacities is being held Oct. 7 from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Kroc Community Center in Bellevue.
 The Age of Influence: Building Connected Futures is made possible in part by a Community Challenge Grant from AARP.Â
The keynote speaker is Darrin Wasniewski, senior associate state director of community outreach for AARP. He will share how digital skills training empowers adults 50-plus to enhance their financial security, health, social connections and other areas of impact, along with available AARP resources.
The day’s agenda begins with registration and networking, along with a light breakfast, from 8:30-9 a.m. A regional update on the NEW B.O.O.S.T. initiative and the keynote by Wasniewski follow. The morning wraps up with roundtable community discussions from 10:15-11 a.m.
The event, part of National Digital Inclusion Week which runs from Oct. 6-10, is being hosted by the NEW Building Opportunities for Overlooked Sustainable Talent for Hidden Talent Digital Navigator Network. The NEW B.O.O.S.T. initiative is a partnership between African Heritage Inc. and New North Inc., the regional economic development corporation for the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin, and aims to expand digital access and literacy by supporting a network of community navigators.
Interested organizations can sign up for the NEW B.O.O.S.T.™ Digital Navigator Network at https://forms.office.com/r/t1Gp2QnAcb. Virtual training sessions are being held twice a month: on the first Friday from 9-10 a.m. and on the third Wednesday from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. In-person, customized training opportunities also are being supported.
Register Now for Innovate.HBSÂ 2025
Join us October 21–22 for two days of conversation and connection with a dynamic community of IT leaders and visionaries. At Innovate.HBS, explore the latest technologies and strategies shaping the future of IT through keynotes, panels, and hands-on workshops led by industry experts. This conference is built to spark ideas, deepen your knowledge, and inspire collaboration in IT and cybersecurity.
What’s on the Agenda?
Cybersecurity Track:
Today’s Threats, Frontlines of Cybersecurity, Hacking 101, Incident Response
Insights from SOC Engineers, Live Demos with HBS Penetration Testers, Strategies for planning, prevention and response, and Email protection and vulnerability scanning.Â
Applications Track:Â
CoPilot Tips & Tricks, From Data to Reporting, AI Risk Management, Leading People in a Challenging Work EnvironmentÂ
CoPilot new features and productivity boosters, Microsoft Fabric in action, Balancing Innovation and Oversight with AI, and Effective and Ineffective Leadership Strategies
Engineering Track:Â
Data Center of the Future, AI-Powered Networks, Building the Workplace of Tomorrow
Hybrid cloud, VMware, AI and more.  Optimized architecture, switches, WIF 7 Security, Cloud Calling, and Meeting Experiences with AI and Bots
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Plus panels from CIOs and Wisconsin Innovation Companies featuring Microsoft, CSI and Titletown Tech!
Connect, Learn, Transform and Have FunÂ
Other IT News
Audit and security professionals must step up to govern AI – before it governs us
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries, but as highlighted in ITPro’s article, “Audit and security professionals must step up to govern AI – before it governs us,” the pace of AI governance is lagging behind its deployment. A concerning 82% of professionals report that AI is already in use within their organizations, often without formal approval. However, only one-third have established formal AI policies, underscoring a significant governance gap.
This gap presents substantial risks. A survey cited in the article reveals that two-thirds of European IT and security professionals are deeply concerned about the potential misuse of generative AI, with 95% anticipating exploitation by malicious actors. These concerns encompass threats like automated exploitation, deepfakes, and data leakage. To mitigate these risks, professionals in audit and security management must enhance their skills to effectively govern AI technologies.
In response to this need, ISACA has introduced new credentials aimed at equipping professionals with the necessary expertise to manage AI-related challenges. The article emphasizes the urgency for audit and security professionals to acquire these skills promptly to ensure robust AI governance and security within their organizations.
As AI continues to evolve, the role of audit and security professionals becomes increasingly critical in safeguarding organizations against emerging threats. By proactively enhancing their competencies in AI governance, these professionals can play a pivotal role in steering AI adoption toward secure and ethical outcomes.
Big Tech Dreams of Putting Data Centers in Space
(Photograph: Xia Yuan/Getty Images)
As data consumption soars, traditional data centers are increasingly straining Earth’s resources. These facilities consume vast amounts of electricity, much of which is derived from fossil fuels, and require significant water for cooling. In fact, AI-driven data centers alone could see their energy demand rise by up to 165% by 2030. This escalating demand poses environmental challenges, with over half of the energy powering these centers currently sourced from non-renewable resources.
In response to these concerns, industry leaders like OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt are advocating for a radical solution: relocating data centers to space. Altman envisions a “Dyson sphere”—a theoretical megastructure encircling the sun to harness its energy. While such an ambitious project remains speculative, more feasible initiatives are underway. Companies such as Starcloud, Axiom, and Lonestar Data Systems are developing space-based data centers that could leverage the abundance of solar energy and the vacuum of space for efficient cooling.
The potential benefits of off-world data centers are compelling. They could alleviate pressure on terrestrial power grids, reduce environmental impact, and provide enhanced security by placing critical infrastructure beyond the reach of natural disasters and geopolitical tensions. Technological advancements, including lighter and more efficient solar panels and decreasing launch costs, are making this concept increasingly viable.
However, challenges remain. The scalability of space-based data centers to meet the immense processing demands of AI applications is still uncertain. Moreover, the environmental impact of rocket launches and the long-term sustainability of such projects need thorough evaluation. Nonetheless, as the digital landscape continues to expand, the prospect of space-based data centers offers a fascinating glimpse into the future of IT infrastructure.
The FTC Is Cracking Down on the Big Tech AI Boom
(Source: SuPatMaN/Shutterstock)
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is turning up the pressure on Big Tech as AI adoption accelerates. Regulators have launched inquiries into companies like Google, Meta, OpenAI, and Snap, focusing on how their AI-powered chatbots operate, how they monetize these tools, and what safeguards exist—especially for younger users. The move reflects growing concern that the race to dominate the AI market is outpacing responsible oversight.
The FTC’s message is clear: AI products are not exempt from consumer protection and privacy laws. Companies making claims about encryption, security, or user protections will be expected to back them up with action. Regulators are also closely watching how AI systems handle risks such as bias, misinformation, and harmful content.
For IT and security teams, this crackdown underscores the need to align AI practices with regulatory expectations. A few key takeaways include:
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Be prepared to demonstrate how AI systems are tested and monitored for safety.
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Ensure that privacy and security promises are accurate and defensible.
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Pay special attention to protections for minors if your tools are consumer-facing.
As AI becomes embedded in everyday products, organizations that can show transparency, ethical design, and responsible governance will be better positioned to avoid scrutiny—and to build long-term trust with users.
Competitive advantage through cybersecurity: A board-level perspective
(Photo credit: McKinsey & Company)
A recent McKinsey & NACD panel highlights how cybersecurity has shifted from a back-office function to a board-level priority. As digital transformation and AI reshape the threat landscape, boards and CISOs are recognizing that effective cyber strategy isn’t just about minimizing risk—it can be a source of competitive advantage and business resilience.
For CISOs, that means evolving into business partners who can frame cybersecurity in terms of operational risk, customer trust, and growth opportunities. For boards, it means developing fluency in technology risks and ensuring oversight stretches from high-level strategy down to day-to-day operations.
Success comes down to communication and trust. CISOs who simplify complex risks into clear business terms, use data to back up their narratives, and create opportunities for dialogue outside of formal board meetings are better positioned to earn buy-in. Meanwhile, boards that proactively upskill and establish stronger cyber governance can help their organizations stay ahead of emerging threats.
The takeaway is clear: cybersecurity is no longer just about defense—it’s about enabling strategy, resilience, and long-term competitiveness.