At this year's Texas Republican State Convention, the Alliance for Secure AI hosted a well attended conversation called "AI: Prosperity, Power Grab, or Peril?" Nearly 600 Texans filled the room to learn how artificial intelligence is already shaping the lives of everyday Americans. We are grateful to the Alliance for Secure AI for the care they put into organizing such a timely and substantive event.
The panel covered remarkable ground. Mick Tobin of the Young People's Alliance opened with the question on many parents' minds, which is what AI means for jobs. He pointed to growing concern among university leaders about the vulnerability of entry-level, white-collar roles, and offered practical advice for young Texans trying to build careers in a fast-changing economy.
State Senator Angela Paxton spoke to child safety and consumer protection. She explained why Texas has often led the nation on these issues, and why a strong state standard matters while Congress struggles to act. She also addressed the rise of deepfakes, CSAM, and the work underway to keep Texans safe.
Dr. Vael Gates of Humans in Control turned to national security and America's leadership, including the harder questions of existential risk, autonomous weapons, and how quickly once-distant concerns are becoming real. Amy Kremer of Humans First focused on communities and families, asking how Texas can stay economically competitive while protecting people from real harms, including the troubling effects of AI companions and chatbots on family connection. Alexandra Tsalidis of the Future of Life Institute closed with faith and culture, exploring AI's growing presence in faith communities and where reasonable redlines should be drawn.
My own portion focused on Texas's resources, namely energy and water. On energy, the central question is simple: who pays? Serving the data center boom will require tens of billions of dollars in new transmission, and under today's rules too much of that cost lands on families and small businesses rather than on the companies driving the demand. These are some of the wealthiest companies in the world. They should pay for the infrastructure they require, and we should end the state and local subsidies that ask taxpayers to foot the bill instead.
On water, the honest answer is that we still do not know how much these facilities use, with estimates ranging from roughly 25 billion gallons a year to far higher projections by 2030. In one of the most drought-prone states in the nation, that uncertainty is unacceptable. We need honest reporting now, accountability for contaminated wastewater, and a real push toward water-efficient and even waterless cooling. We cannot manage what we do not measure.
What struck me most was the crowd itself. These 600 Texans were engaged, attentive, and full of thoughtful questions during the Q&A. And they revealed something important about this moment. While much of the Republican leadership has seemed eager to move full steam ahead, the Republican grassroots is far more cautious about big tech extending its reach into nearly every corner of our lives. That gap deserves attention. The people closest to these projects, in their own counties and neighborhoods, are asking the hard questions their leaders should be asking too.
None of this is about turning innovation away. Texas can lead the nation in advanced technology while protecting our residents, our resources, and our values. But leadership and accountability have to go together. Events like this one help close the gap, giving everyday Texans the facts and the confidence to engage.
Our thanks again to the Alliance for Secure AI for convening such an important conversation. If the energy in that room is any indication, Texans are ready to make sure this technology serves them, not the other way around.
