Texas Took Florida’s (would-be) AI Business & Oil Related Things– Top 3 Takeaways – August 11th, 2026

Takeaway #1: Texas Took Florida’s Business

Texas has long been synonymous with energy...although what first comes to mind is Texas T...and in WTI crude. However, these days Texas has begun to establish itself as the go-to-state for the AI industry. The latest global rankings for Global Data Centers and peak investment into the AI power industry...is Texas which is now the top data center destination in the world. And it’s great that the top data center location in the world is within the United States...however what we’re also seeing is a lot of lost opportunity. As I’ve covered rather extensively, while data centers have widely been viewed negatively – in part fueled by Chinese propaganda, they’re the key for the U.S. remaining number 1 in the AI industry – which is also the key to avoiding World War III. And given that the future is AI whether we like it or not, and given that data centers are needed to power the AI industry, in Florida we should be leading the way because if we did, we’d not only retain the country’s top economy, we’d also best position ourselves with all of the surrounding companies that rely on the additional technological capabilities. Unfortunately, in Florida we’ve largely decided to go the other way. Data center proposals have been rejected across the state. From Palm Beach County with Project Tango, to Martin County’s Silver Fox proposal and the Okke-One that was canceled too...the one message that’s been consistently sent by Florida communities is that when it comes to jobs, investment, technology and the future of AI innovation...is that we don’t want you. The yearlong moratorium imposed on data center proposals by numerous communities including Palm Beach County has only served to reinforce this, as a year within the AI space is the technological equivalent to about ten previously. Companies aren’t going to continue to wait around to see if relucent communities with zoning officials and commissioners who largely don’t have a clue as to what an AI data center even is. The state of Florida did its part by passing the AI data center law that mandated data centers use reclaimed water supplies and that all power and infrastructure costs are exclusively paid by the data centers, not residents. Effectively, data centers can’t do more harm than any other industrial facility within the state. However, here’s Florida’s scorecard...we’ve now rejected data centers at a 63% rate. Within the past year Florida’s communities have now rejected $20 billion of direct investment, 3,725 jobs – short-term with an estimated 5,000+ jobs by the final buildouts, $2 billion in annual economic impacts with well over $1 billion in property tax revenue annually. Texas, which has long been Florida’s economic rival, has been more than happy to take advantage of this. So, while Florida’s stopped 63% of proposed data center projects, what do you think the Texas rejection rate has been?

Takeaway #2: The answer is...under 1%.

Only two out of 250 data center proposals have been rejected in Texas as they’ve open for business and reaping the benefit of the greatest private investment boom in American history. Florida’s loss has without a doubt been Texas’s gain, and what this means is that Florida’s ever impressive economy – will not be our country’s leader into the future. Texas is positioned perfectly to lead. Btw, the Carolinas and Georgia hubbed by Atlanta check in at #2 in AI data center buildouts and capabilities. And where is Florida? Nowhere to be found. The study of the top 107 locations in the world doesn’t include Florida. Based on what local communities have done across the state...that’s not going to change. This is a reminder that elections matter and as I’ve long said, the elections that are closest to you in geography often will have the biggest impact on your daily life. While it’s not always true, it is most often true. The state of Florida did what it was that we needed to do to protect Floridians and make it easy for communities to plan for data center buildouts. However, local leaders have failed to understand the opportunity and to lead as opposed to doing the politically expedite thing. The jobs and economic opportunities have been lost. And if you’re an AI related business – where is it that you’d prefer to spend your time working on expansion plans...the state that rejects 63% of what’s presented to communities or the state that accepts 99+% of related opportunities. It’s too bad, but it’s a reminder to become informed, vet candidates and to vote wisely in Florida’s primary elections either early or on primary Election Day two weeks from today. As we’ve seen the AI rejection hasn’t been a partisan thing – it's been a failure of leadership thing.

Takeaway #3: Oil Watch

During the Iran war oil price watching has become a thing. But there’s another type of oil watch that isn’t about the day-to-day pricing. The latest report from the National Strategic Oil Reserve shows emergency inventories under 300 million barrels of oil since 1983. That’s when our country’s population included 100 million fewer people. The average amount of oil use today is 35% higher than it was back in those days... We’re releasing barrels of oil at a pace of 6.1 million barrels per week most recently in an effort to curb the pain at the pump related to the Iranian war. The current inventory of oil is only about 40% capacity as Joe Biden drained the reserved by over 300 million barrels during his presidency to curb ‘Bidenflation, with President Trump having used about 60 million barrels more. In theory the SPR says we need a minimum of 70 million barrels for an emergency, the reality is that every day we continue to drain reserves, it places us much closer to potentially making compromised decisions. There’s currently an economic battle of attrition taking place with Iran. We’re much better positioned to win but their pain tolerance is far higher than the average American consumers too. Stay tuned...This could be related to President Trump’s recent change in tune to a more subtle one.

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