Abbott presses rural Texas ban on AI data centers

Gov. Greg Abbott called for banning AI data centers in rural Texas during a campaign stop, arguing they must fund their own power and water and give up tax breaks as part of a broader effort to limit their impact on local communities. The stance goes beyond a prior regulatory framework he outlined, and it coincides with rural backlash and at least one city (San Marcos) moving to ban such facilities, highlighting a broader fight over local control, infrastructure costs, and residents’ utility bills.