By Brendan Steinhauser, Alliance for Secure AI
Artificial intelligence has tremendous promise. But today, it is fueling massive data centers devouring Florida’s power and water while Florida families bear the cost of Big Tech’s AI acceleration.
That is why Florida Republicans are taking the lead to make sure the state prospers as AI advances, instead of letting Silicon Valley write the rules. While Big Tech wields its influence in Washington, D.C., and puts Americans last, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republicans in the state are not waiting around. By standing up to Big Tech and insisting on fairness, transparency and enforcing their own rules rather than deferring to Washington, they are proving that real “America First” leadership protects the individuals who keep our communities running.
Cooling towers and backup generators on the roof of a data center (Rsparks3, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)
U.S. households are increasingly bearing the costs of electrical grid upgrades, with little to no national reform to address this distress. In regions with high concentrations of data centers, electricity costs have increased by 267% over the past five years.
In Florida specifically, families are already staring down a $7 billion electricity rate hike. Data centers have sparked backlash from communities across the state that are worried about higher utility bills, strained power grids and water being diverted away from families to cool servers at massive data centers.
Technology companies like to pitch themselves as the path to progress, but many Floridians feel as though they have become Big Tech’s victims as they deal with high energy costs and drained resources. As AI continues to advance, Floridians are being left behind to deal with the ramifications, even as data center projects from Polk County to Palm Beach raise alarms about higher electric bills and millions of gallons of water a day being siphoned away from communities.
As gridlock continues at the federal level, DeSantis is stepping up to the plate to enforce common-sense AI reforms and to hold AI companies accountable. Last December, DeSantis announced a Citizen Bill of Rights for Artificial Intelligence to give power back to every Floridian instead of allowing Big Tech companies to chip away at Floridians’ rights.
In the Florida Legislature, Senate Bill 484 (introduced by Miami Springs Republican state Sen. Bryan Avila) would prohibit state and local governments from signing non-disclosure agreements that keep the public in the dark about new data centers, requiring large data centers to pay the full cost of the electricity infrastructure needed to serve them so that families are not left holding the bag. That bill passed both chambers and awaits the governor’s signature.
While Big Tech exploits vulnerable Floridians, Florida’s lawmakers are taking action to prevent the costs of data centers from shifting to regular utility ratepayers, ensuring that innovation does not come at the expense of everyday Floridians. A recent Bloomberg Law report on data center construction dividing Florida Republicans and the Trump administration makes this split obvious: Florida Republicans are demanding real safeguards, while the White House prefers a lighter-touch, Big Tech-friendly path that would rein in state authority.
Brendan Steinhauser
The White House’s new national AI framework, rolled out last month, doubles down on a single federal rulebook that would override state AI laws like SB 484, streamline federal permitting for data centers, and limit liability for AI developers, while dangling a vague promise to keep energy bills down. That may be good news for the largest AI companies, but it is a raw deal for states like Florida that are actually living with the consequences of explosive AI growth and are finally forcing tech companies to pay their fair share.
Responsible energy-use regulation is not anti-technology or anti-AI. It is pro-family, pro-community and ultimately pro-innovation because it forces AI growth to be sustainable instead of reckless.
Red states like Florida should continue to assert their authority on AI policy rather than waiting for Congress or the Trump administration. If Republicans truly want to put America first in the AI era, they should follow Florida’s lead and make sure Big Tech never comes before their own citizens.
Brendan Steinhauser is the CEO of The Alliance for Secure AI, a nonprofit organization that seeks to educate policymakers and the public about the implications of advanced AI. This opinion piece was originally published by the Sun Sentinel, which is a media partner of The Invading Sea. Banner photo: Data center server racks (iStock image).
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