By The Washington Times (Business) | Created at 2026-08-12 17:53:33 | Updated at 2026-08-12 18:52:22
2 hours ago
Cloudforce has announced plans to bolster its main offices at Maryland’s National Harbor, adding 250 artificial intelligence software jobs over the next five years.
The technology company said it decided to lease an additional 15,000 square feet of office space — doubling its current footprint and staff of 130 — after deciding that Maryland’s concentration of technical talent and the site’s proximity to top universities made it the best site in the D.C. metro area.
Cloudforce uses the Microsoft Cloud system to provide a chatbot-driven learning management program to faculty and students at the University of Maryland and Prince George’s Community College.
Other institutions using its flagship nebulaONE system include UCLA, London Business School and the University of Oxford, also in England.
“When it came time to grow, we had every option on the table, including markets across state lines and across the country,” said Cloudforce founder and CEO Husein Sharaf. “We chose to double down here instead, because we’d rather strengthen the place that helped build us than start over somewhere new.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore touted Wednesday’s announcement as a victory for his efforts to encourage AI infrastructure development, even as host Prince George’s County recently imposed a two-year moratorium on AI data center construction.
“Cloudforce’s expansion and continued commitment to Maryland is a win for our state’s workers, students, and our future,” Mr. Moore, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Our administration is making historic investments to support partnerships with world-class leaders like Cloudforce and building pathways to work, wages, and wealth, so that Maryland communities have a leg up in this rapidly evolving economy.”
The Maryland Department of Commerce has offered Cloudforce a $1.25 million conditional loan to facilitate the expansion — and the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation has extended a $125,000 conditional loan.
The governor’s office said in a press release that Cloudforce could also receive several state and local tax credits.
“Maryland is already home to the universities, entrepreneurs, and workers that can lead the next era of AI,” said Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy. “Cloudforce’s decision to expand here shows how we turn those assets into good jobs and real opportunity.”
However, the press release did not include comments from the Prince George’s County Council, which has opposed building the hubs needed to store Cloudforce’s data.
The Washington Times reached out to the council for comment.
Pushback from residents concerned about rising utility bills has limited AI development statewide. The Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund estimates that 3 out of 4 Marylanders live in cities or counties that have paused data center development — including Frederick, Baltimore, Washington and Prince George’s counties.
On July 7, Prince George’s lawmakers voted to impose a two-year moratorium on large data center construction. They pledged to study zoning ordinances to limit environmental impacts and make AI companies pay more for the energy they consume.
“I think the community has spoken loud and clear,” said Council Chair Krystal Oriadha, a Democrat. “I think they’ve made it very clear that they don’t want to see a data center here in Prince George’s County.”
