How anti-AI forces help Texas win the future | Opinion

In an opinion piece for the Houston Chronicle, former U.S. Representative Van Taylor, who represented North Texas in Congress, contends that widespread opposition to artificial intelligence (AI) data centers in various U.S. jurisdictions is paradoxically benefiting Texas. Taylor, who previously worked on a data center project in Dallas and served on the AI Task Force for the House Financial Services Committee, argues that "anti-AI forces" are using tactics such as weaponizing permitting, lawsuits, and concerns over energy scarcity to block or delay projects. He cites that such opposition has impacted 30-50% of U.S. data center projects, representing at least $88 billion in private investment. Taylor illustrates his point with an example of an NTT Data center campus in Garland, Texas, where the TX4 facility is currently under construction, requiring 40 water-filled chillers. He posits that these "modern Luddites" will not halt AI's advance but merely determine its geographic beneficiaries. He criticizes the argument that data centers cause a cost-of-living crisis by driving up utility bills, stating that rising prices are due to policymakers' failure to expand energy generation and transmission to meet surging demand, rather than the data centers themselves. From his experience attracting such facilities during his time in Congress, Taylor emphasizes that data centers are a significant fiscal and economic prize. He notes that a single $100 million AI-optimized facility can generate $150-$300 million in annual revenue and contribute substantial property and sales tax revenues with modest local service demands. He projects that Texas is on track to build over 100 new AI-related data centers in the next two years, an infusion comparable to the state's century-old oil industry. Taylor concludes by encouraging the continuation of opposition elsewhere, as it funnels investment, jobs, and technological expertise to pro-growth states like Texas.