Podcast
IntoTexas AI Podcast
Hosted by Shannon Belew · EN
Your deep dive into AI news and trends reshaping Texas.
Everything is bigger in Texas—including the impact of artificial intelligence.
Hosted by Shannon Belew, IntoTexas AI brings you the most important AI stories impacting Texas—from data centers and enterprise adoption to startups, policy, and the shifting balance of power in work.
Each episode delivers:
The biggest AI news stories connected to Texas
What it means for business leaders, innovators and investors
Fast insights you can actually use
It's a front-row seat to how AI is transforming one of the most important economic regions.
21episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Texas AI This Week: Dell's AI Boom, Baylor's Medical Breakthrough & Texas Government Goes AI
4d ago00:07:23Tap to summarizeThis week on IntoTexas AI, we're looking at the biggest artificial intelligence stories impacting Texas from May 25 through May 29, 2026.From Dell's explosive AI-driven growth to a breakthrough healthcare application at Baylor College of Medicine, this week's headlines show that Texas is playing a growing role across every layer of the AI economy.This week on IntoTexas AI, we break down the top AI stories shaping Texas during the week of May 25-29, 2026.Subscribe for weekly coverage of AI, business, technology, and innovation across Texas.#ArtificialIntelligence #AI #TexasAI #Dell #BaylorCollegeOfMedicine #HealthcareAI #DataCenters #TexasBusiness #Innovation #IntoTexas #GenerativeAI #TexasTechnology #AIInfrastructure #BusinessStrategy #FutureOfWork
Transcribe →Erin Brockovich Enters the AI Debate | Why Data Centers Are Becoming a Community Issue
4d ago00:15:59Tap to summarizeWhat happens when one of America's most recognizable environmental advocates turns her attention to AI infrastructure?In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew explores Erin Brockovich's new crowdsourced data center mapping initiative and why it matters to Texas.Texas has become one of the nation's leading destinations for AI infrastructure investment, with major projects emerging across Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Abilene, Red Oak, Temple, and El Paso. As AI continues to expand, so does the conversation around the physical infrastructure that powers it.This episode examines:✅ Erin Brockovich's new data center mapping project✅ Why Texas generated the most community submissions on the platform✅ The difference between confirmed projects and crowdsourced reports✅ Water, power, land use, and infrastructure considerations✅ The recent Hill County data center moratorium in North Texas✅ Why AI is becoming a community conversation—not just a technology conversation✅ What might come next as communities, developers, and policymakers navigate the future of AI infrastructureThis is not a story about choosing sides.It's a story about visibility, transparency, and how communities are responding as AI moves from software into the physical world.IntoTexas AI explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, infrastructure, education, workforce development, and communities across Texas.🔗 Visit: IntoTexas.com🎙️ Subscribe for weekly insights on AI, innovation, and the future of Texas.#AI #Texas #ErinBrockovich #DataCenters #ArtificialIntelligence #TexasBusiness #Infrastructure #Technology #IntoTexasAI #CommunityDevelopment #AIInfrastructure #TexasTech #FutureOfAI
Transcribe →The Rise of AI Layoff Protections and “Human First” Clauses
6d ago00:21:56Tap to summarizeArtificial intelligence is no longer just changing how we work — it’s beginning to reshape how workers negotiate for protection.In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew examines the growing movement toward AI-related labor protections after employees at The Texas Tribune secured contractual safeguards against layoffs caused by artificial intelligence.But this story goes far beyond journalism.As AI-related layoffs increase across the United States, workers, unions, and companies are now confronting difficult questions:Should employees be protected from AI-driven job loss?Could “Human First Clauses” become standard in future employment contracts?What happens to entry-level jobs in the AI economy?And how does Texas fit into one of the biggest workforce transformations in modern history?This episode explores:AI-related layoffs and labor trends in the U.S.The Texas Tribune Guild agreementAI protections emerging in media and HollywoodThe impact of AI on younger workersThe future of unions, contracts, and workplace negotiationsWhy Texas may become a major battleground in the AI labor debateIntoTexas AI explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, infrastructure, policy, labor, and society across Texas and beyond.Subscribe for more episodes on:AI infrastructureTexas technology newsBusiness strategyWorkforce transformationData centersAI policyAutonomous systemsEnergy and AIAnd the future of workVisit: IntoTexas.com#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #Texas #TechNews #AILayoffs #Journalism #Union #Workforce #BusinessStrategy #IntoTexasAI
Transcribe →Before AI: Tech Stories of the 80s That Changed Everything for Texas
2w ago00:29:46Tap to summarizeLong before ChatGPT, AI copilots, and massive data centers transformed Texas, the foundation for today’s AI economy was already being built.In this retro episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew takes a deep look back at the technology revolution of the 1980s and explores how companies like Compaq, Texas Instruments, Dell, and Sematech helped turn Texas into one of the most important technology states in America.From Houston’s PC revolution and Dallas semiconductor innovation to Austin’s rise as Silicon Hills, this episode connects the early personal computer era to today’s AI infrastructure boom.Topics include:Compaq and the IBM-compatible PC revolutionTexas Instruments and early voice-enabled computingMichael Dell arriving at UT Austin in 1983The rise of Telecom Corridor in North TexasSematech and America’s semiconductor strategySteve Jobs’ 1983 vision that foreshadowed generative AIWhy the 1980s still matter to Texas AI todayThis episode is both a retro technology story and a look at how the past shaped the future of AI in Texas.Subscribe for more coverage of AI, business, infrastructure, semiconductors, robotics, and emerging technology across Texas.#Texas #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Dell #Compaq #TexasInstruments #Semiconductors #AustinTech #HoustonTech #DallasTech #IntoTexasAI #RetroTech #TechnologyHistory #GenerativeAI #SiliconHills
Transcribe →Will AI Replace Engineers? AECOM and SMU Partner for Next-gen AI Infrastructure
2w ago00:18:25Tap to summarizeCan artificial intelligence transform infrastructure engineering—and what does that mean for the next generation of graduates?In this episode of IntoTexas AI, we examine how Dallas-based AECOM and Southern Methodist University are partnering to train engineers who can work alongside AI to design and build the world’s most important infrastructure projects. We also explore AECOM’s broader AI strategy, including its acquisition of Norwegian startup Consigli and the company’s ambitious effort to integrate AI into core engineering workflows.In this episode:Why AECOM partnered with SMUWhat “AI-native infrastructure engineers” meansHow AI is changing engineering careersAECOM’s $390 million acquisition of ConsigliWhy engineering firms are beginning to act like technology companiesWhat this means for students graduating into the AI eraWhy Dallas could become a global center for AI-driven infrastructure innovationFeatured Organizations:AECOMSouthern Methodist UniversityConsigliWhy this matters:As AI reshapes industries across the economy, infrastructure engineering may be one of the most important sectors to watch. The companies that combine technology, talent, and responsible deployment could define how the world is designed and built for decades to come.Subscribe to IntoTexas AI for weekly insights on artificial intelligence, business strategy, infrastructure, and the companies shaping the future in Texas and beyond.#ArtificialIntelligence #AECOM #SMU #Engineering #Infrastructure #TexasAI #AIJobs #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation #IntoTexas
Transcribe →Texas AI News: $867M Fort Worth Investment, Data Center Pushback, and Waymo
3w ago00:14:21Tap to summarizeTexas continues to emerge as one of the most important AI hubs in the United States. In this week’s IntoTexas AI news roundup, Shannon Belew recaps the biggest and most interesting stories shaping the future of artificial intelligence in Texas this week.In this episode:$867 million manufacturing investment in Fort WorthHill County tables new data center growthRed Oak greenlights growth despite protestsUniversity of Texas at Austin researchers warn of future water issuesWaymo recalls more than 3,500 robotaxis The big takeaway: AI is no longer just a software story. It is a manufacturing story, an infrastructure story, a water story, and a community story—and Texas is at the center of it all.If you want to understand where the future of AI is being built, Texas is one of the most important places to watch.Subscribe for weekly analysis of how AI, innovation, and investment are reshaping Texas.#ArtificialIntelligence #TexasAI #DataCenters #Waymo #AutonomousVehicles #FortWorth #Dallas #Austin #IntoTexasAI #AIInfrastructure
Transcribe →When Robots Fly Coach: How Texas Sparked a Debate About Robot Rights
3w ago00:18:48Tap to summarizeA humanoid robot named Stewie bought a ticket, buckled into a window seat, and flew on a Southwest Airlines flight to Dallas. Two days later, the airline banned all human-like and animal-like robots from both cabins and checked baggage.What happened—and what does it reveal about the future of artificial intelligence?In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew explores the remarkable story involving Dallas-based The Robot Studio and examines a much larger question: How should we treat our robots?Are humanoids passengers, employees, teammates, or simply advanced tools?You’ll also hear:Why humans instinctively treat robots as social beingsThe science behind “anti-robot speciesism”How robots like Sophia have challenged ideas about citizenship and rightsWhy Texas is becoming a major hub for robotics and physical AIWhat business leaders need to consider as humanoids enter the workplaceFrom airlines and factories to hotels and hospitals, robots are moving from novelty to operational reality. This episode takes a thoughtful—and occasionally humorous—look at what the way we treat robots says about the way we see ourselves.If you’re interested in robotics, AI strategy, physical AI, and the future of human-machine relationships, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.#IntoTexasAI #PhysicalAI #HumanoidRobots #SouthwestAirlines #Robotics #ArtificialIntelligence #TexasTech #FutureOfWork #RobotEthics #DallasTech
Transcribe →Autonomous Vehicles in Texas: A New Law and the Road Ahead
3w ago00:22:41Tap to summarizeTexas is entering a new phase in autonomous vehicle deployment — one defined not just by innovation, but by regulation, accountability, and real-world performance.In this episode of IntoTexas AI, host Shannon Belew breaks down what the state’s new authorization requirements mean for companies operating robotaxis, delivery fleets, and autonomous trucking across Texas. From new oversight by the Texas DMV to first-responder safety plans and ongoing compliance expectations, this isn’t just a policy update — it’s a shift in how autonomy scales.We also take a closer look at the companies shaping this space, including Waymo, Zoox, Tesla, Aurora, Kodiak, and others — and why Texas has become one of the most important proving grounds in the country.Beyond robotaxis, the episode explores the massive opportunity in autonomous freight and delivery — from long-haul trucking along I-35 to last-mile logistics — and what it could mean for the Texas economy, workforce, and supply chains.But what about safety and public trust?As autonomous systems continue to evolve in real time, questions around safety, certification, and public trust are becoming harder to ignore — including concerns raised by researchers at University of Texas at Austin about how to regulate technology that never stands still.Texas isn’t just adopting autonomous vehicles.It’s becoming the driving force for the next generation of transportation.
Transcribe →Texas AI Boom Accelerates: In AI News This Week - Meta, Oracle, BlackRock & Fight Over Data Centers
4w ago00:12:25Tap to summarizeTexas is rapidly becoming one of the most important AI infrastructure battlegrounds in America — and this week’s headlines made that impossible to ignore.In this episode of IntoTexas AI, host Shannon Belew breaks down five of the biggest AI stories shaping Texas during the week of May 4, 2026.This week’s roundup explores:Meta’s reported $13 billion financing package tied to a massive AI-focused data center project in El PasoDallas-based DataBank securing $2 billion to support Oracle AI infrastructure in Red OakBlackRock’s $30 million investment to train Texas electricians for the growing AI economyRackspace and AMD expanding enterprise AI operations in San AntonioRising resistance from Texas communities concerned about the impact of large-scale AI data center growthThe episode examines how AI is reshaping:Texas infrastructureEnergy demandWorkforce developmentEnterprise technologyRural communitiesEconomic growth across the stateFrom hyperscale data centers to skilled labor shortages, this conversation looks at the physical realities behind the AI economy and why Texas is becoming one of the nation’s most important testing grounds for AI expansion.IntoTexas AI explores how artificial intelligence, infrastructure, investment and innovation are reshaping Texas.#AI #Texas #ArtificialIntelligence #DataCenters #Meta #Oracle #BlackRock #Rackspace #AMD #TexasBusiness #EnterpriseAI #Infrastructure #TechnologyPodcast #IntoTexasAI
Transcribe →Student Data Is Becoming AI Fuel | What the Canvas Cyberattack Could Reveal About Universities
4w ago00:15:07Tap to summarizeA major cybersecurity breach involving the Canvas learning platform may have exposed nearly four terabytes of student and university data — including institutions in Texas. But this story may be about more than cybersecurity.In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew explores the idea that universities are becoming AI-era data platforms and why student behavioral data could become one of the most valuable assets in the artificial intelligence economy.The episode examines:The Canvas cyberattack and its reported impactWhy educational data is becoming increasingly valuable in the AI eraHow AI is changing the economics of cybercrimeWhy Texas universities are becoming part of the state’s growing AI infrastructureThe role Texas cybersecurity companies are playing in defending AI-era systemsWhether higher education is prepared for the next generation of AI-driven cyber threatsFeaturing discussion of Texas universities, AI governance, cybersecurity risk, and companies including CrowdStrike, Critical Start, Zimperium, and SparkCognition.IntoTexas AI explores how AI, infrastructure, investment, innovation, and workforce transformation are reshaping Texas.#AI #Cybersecurity #Texas #HigherEducation #Canvas #ArtificialIntelligence #DataSecurity #IntoTexasAI #EdTech #TexasTech
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