It's up to voters whether synthetic intellect volition perform a function in the outcome of the coming midterm elections.
The AI surge — and the infrastructure needed to power it — has gradually rotate into a flashpoint in US politics. The conversation ranges from AI safety, regulation, and deepfakes to the fast enlargement of data centers.
Many Big Tech firms advocate for faster expansion, during local residents have pushed back against data-center projects complete their possible ecological and energy-cost impacts.
One big inquiry for voters: What roles should province and national governments perform in regulating AI? Another is how much power local communities should have complete the data centers increasingly being built in their backyards.
Governors throughout the governmental spectrum — 17 of whom are up for reelection this twelvemonth — have taken varied approaches to the AI boom. All 39 gubernatorial races, throughout 36 states and three territories, are on November 3.
Some governors, including California's Gavin Newsom (D) and New York's Kathy Hochul (D), are exploring an AI "kill switch" that would disable advanced AI systems in an out-of-control event. Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has additionally called for national AI safety rules.
Others, including the Republican governors of Nevada and North Dakota and the Democratic governors of Michigan and New Mexico — whose states have important AI-computing projects under building — see data centers as an financial opportunity.
Here's what all US administrator has stated so far concerning AI, data centers, or both.
Alabama
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) has approached AI as an chance to enhance government, but one that needs guardrails.
In 2024, she created a statewide generative AI project power to analyze how it could be used inside the province government, emphasizing the two the use of AI and transparency, privacy, and community safety.
"GenAI represents a monumental stage onward in the possible for our province authorities to assist the public," Ivey stated in a 2024 statement. "However, its capabilities must archetypal be studied carefully to justify it is implemented in the most liable and productive manner possible."
She is among the few governors throughout the US who have taken a harder row on Chinese AI tools. In 2025, Ivey issued a ban on Chinese-affiliated synthetic intellect platforms DeepSeek and Manus from all state-owned devices and networks.
Alaska
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) has thrown the province as a possible hub for the AI surge and the computing infrastructure needed for it, arguing that Alaska has an "arctic advantage."
Dunleavy has stated he believes Alaska's colder climate can considerably decrease the disbursal of cooling AI server racks, saying in delayed 2025 that an Alaskan 1-gigawatt evidence could preserve operators up to $150 myriad annually in cooling expenses compared to a warmer state.
Dunleavy has additionally stated that data centers could be an economic controller for Alaska, particularly by creating additional building jobs throughout the state.
He frequently uses AI, too, incorporating certain tools into his activity as governor, including using the innovation during meetings.
Arizona
Katie Hobbs (D), Arizona's administrator up for reelection, has mostly framed AI as an financial chance that the province needs to prepared for, fairly than rotate distant from.
Hobbs has stated she does not assistance a moratorium, which is a impermanent pause, on new data-center development. At the identical time, she has pushed for additional construction about AI.
Her administration created the state's archetypal AI steering committee in 2025 and launched an AI authorities tool in 2026, and she has described the goal as ensuring AI strengthens fairly than undermines the state's economy.
"Arizona has built among the strongest AI ecosystems in the country, and our community colleges assistance power it," Hobbs wrote in a January 22 article on X.
Arkansas
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R), who is up for reelection, has stated she believes AI has the possible to fortify authorities efficiency, but it requires appropriate policies and regulations.
"AI is changing how we work, interact, and discover data — and Arkansas can't oversee to be remaining behind," she wrote in a declaration in February following a new province AI effectiveness and safety report.
The report, which was completed by an AI operating collection that Sanders launched in 2024, established that AI could assistance the province enhance Medicaid and SNAP programs and develop another digital services.
Earlier this year, she additionally joined RAISE US, a national synthetic intellect undertaking launched by erstwhile Indiana administrator Eric Holcomb and erstwhile US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. The undertaking aims to partner alongside governors, employers, workers and training organizations to assistance the workforce passage to an AI economy.
She was one of multiple politicians who urged Congress to eliminate the AI regulatory moratorium from the One, Big, Beautiful Bill in 2025.
California
California's Gavin Newsom (D) has moved from a additional careful method to AI regulation toward several of the most assured AI-safety proposals in the country.
After vetoing an AI safety invoice in 2024, Newsom has since signed law creating autonomous oversight and auditing requirements on AI systems.
Now, Newsom is assistance the idea of an AI "kill switch," which would be an emergency shutoff for frontier AI models, as part of a September administrator order. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has projected a akin idea.
Newsom has additionally directed experts to regard autonomous verification of AI companies' safety systems, arguing that California should move onward equal as national act remains limited.
Colorado
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed Senate Bill 24-205 in 2024, making Colorado the archetypal province to enact a thorough consumer-protection law aimed at protecting consumers from AI-driven algorithmic bias in areas specified as employment, housing, education, and healthcare.
That invoice was afterward repealed by Polis this year, however. In his repeal, he narrowed the state's example by mandating particular transparency, documentation, and person entitlements whenever automated tools "materially influence" consequential decisions.
The new invoice volition obtain consequence on January 1, 2027.
Polis has additionally shown several assistance for a national moratorium on province AI laws restricting synthetic intelligence, according to a 2025 Bloomberg article.
Connecticut
Ned Lamont (D), administrator of Connecticut and up for reelection, signed a bipartisan AI invoice before this twelvemonth addressing younker online safety.
Lamont's method is focused on preparing group to activity alongside AI fairly than restricting its use. He's additionally invested in workforce training designed to assistance Connecticut workers vie for jobs in the tech market: In February, he launched the third phase of the state's Tech Talent Accelerator, a program that aims to develop AI learning and workforce training.
Delaware
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer (D) has sought to create the province a location anywhere companies can test alongside AI without abandoning regulation.
In 2025, he signed law launching an AI regulatory sandbox anywhere companies can test AI technologies under authorities oversight, particularly in company governance, health care, biotechnology and financial services.
Meyer has described the sandbox as a way to merge innovation alongside transparency and community trust.
"This undertaking creates area for visionaries and risk-takers to responsibly test cutting-edge synthetic intellect technologies in Delaware—prioritizing transparency, community trust, and thoughtful oversight," he wrote in a statement.
Florida
Ron DeSantis (R), Florida's governor, has pushed for protections about AI fairly than banning the innovation or leaving it unregulated.
His projected AI Bill of Rights in delayed 2025 included data-privacy protections, parental controls, person disclosures and restrictions on using someone's name, depiction or likeness without consent.
"The AI Bill of Rights defends consumers, medicinal patients, and families in Florida from the possible harms of synthetic intellect applications," he wrote on X in March. "It is particularly crucial that we defend the most susceptible among us: our children."
Regarding data centers, DeSantis signed a invoice before this year that would forestall residents from direction the expenses of hyperscale data centers through usefulness bills and provision local governments additional authority complete anywhere those accommodation are built.
Georgia
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) sees AI as an financial chance the province cannot oversee to ignore.
He has backed the enlargement of data centers and has positioned Georgia as a possible hub for the country's AI infrastructure, gathering directly alongside OpenAI and Georgia Power in July to conversation OpenAI's action in the state, sites of interest, jobs, and funding commitments.
Much of his method has focused on construction the power and infrastructure needed to diagram AI funding to the state.
Hawaii
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D), up for reelection, has taken a careful method to AI.
In July, he signed law establishing new safety measures for it — particularly surrounding 'deepfakes', which imitate one's sound and visage — saying AI presents "fascinating opportunities" but that the province needs to be intentional concerning recognizing its possible dangers.
Idaho
Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R), who is up for reelection, has focused heavily on preparing students for an AI-driven economy.
In March, his administration launched a partnership alongside Microsoft, Micron and another innovation companies to instruct K-12 students and teachers how to clasp AI into the classroom.
While Micron volition instruct teachers how to use AI, Microsoft volition provision AI literacy programs and its chatbot, Copilot, for all students complete 13 and teachers.
Illinois
JB Pritzker, Illinois' administrator up for reelection, views synthetic intelligence as a transformative tool that also poses severe, existential risks to humanity.
"It's period to audio the alert — louder — on reining in Artificial Intelligence," Pritzker wrote in an first September statement. "It's becoming additional apparent the danger AI poses to humanity, so I'm calling for contiguous act from the industry and Washington. When AI researchers are whistleblowing, we need to listen."
His declaration urged a halt to Big Tech's lobbying against safety, Congressional hearings on AI safety, and more.
Pritzker additionally established an AI cupboard in September to measure the assorted safety risks posed by AI.
Indiana
Mike Braun (R), Indiana's governor, views AI as an financial chance to boost wages, create jobs, and to stance Indiana as a chief in AI's adoption.
In April, he launched an undertaking titled IN AI to assistance Indiana businesses comprehend anywhere AI can enhance their work, how to admission and use distinct AI tools, and anywhere to discover workforce throughout the province who comprehend the technology.
He has publicly cautioned against construction data centers in the province that drain Indiana's h2o resources.
The province is residence to two ample data-center projects in the US, however, accommodation Meta's data center that is expected to provision 1 gigawatt of capacity and extend 1,500 acres in Lebanon, as fine as Google's Fort Wayne Data Center, which volition necessitate up to 1.2 gigawatts of power at complete build-out.
Iowa
In February, Iowa's Gov. Kim Reynolds banned DeepSeek and RedNote, two Chinese-owned apps, from province devices. She additionally prohibited all province agencies from subscribing to or having an document on either app.
Reynolds has shown a concentration on how to responsibly clasp AI, signing an Act in May that regulates AI chatbots, particularly for minors. One of the regulations in the Act provides disclaimers at the commencement of all conversation and formerly all three hours.
Kansas
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) supports a regulated method to AI that balances the innovation it brings.
In August, Kelly told the Topeka Capital-Journal that there needs to be guardrails about data center building and the h2o and energy use connected alongside them.
In August 2023, she created an AI guideline that requires reviews of accuracy, appropriateness, privacy, and safety before any act is taken or data is shared.
Kentucky
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) is an protagonist for national oversight and regulation of AI to balance its benefits alongside risks specified as national safety and job displacement.
He signed an administrator order in August to mitigate the possible ecological and disbursal impacts of data centers. Specifically, the command requires the companies construction the data centers to present a scheme to the state's Energy and Environment Cabinet detailing how they volition shield their complete energy costs.
Louisiana
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) additionally views AI as a way to run financial growth, but stated it poses safety and usefulness disbursal risks.
In June, Landry issued an executive order requiring data centers seeking province sales-tax breaks to defend ratepayers from higher power costs, unless the province determines the project's another benefits outweigh the higher power costs.
In 2025, Landry, akin Iowa's governor, additionally signed an administrator command banning China's DeepSeek throughout all province agencies.
"As innovation advances, so do the threats," he wrote in a statement. "This administrator command ensures we are protecting our people, our data, and our national safety from the CCP's expanding power in AI."
The province is residence to among the largest planned data centers in the US, accommodation Meta's Hyperion AI data center, a additional than $50 milliard funding that volition extend additional than 3,600 acres and is planned to provision 5 gigawatts of capability formerly completely developed.
Maine
Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) has taken a additional careful method toward the expanding AI industry.
This year, Mills vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have placed a impermanent intermission on data center building requiring 20 or additional megawatts of power. She's additionally stated she supported a national moratorium if it had exempted a particular project that she believed could bring jobs to Maine.
In June 2025, Mills signed a invoice that bans companies from using chatbots without apparent disclosure. The invoice additionally added AI-generated deepfakes to the state's retaliation porn laws.
Maryland
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), who is up for reelection, signed an administrator command in first September that relieves locals of the expenses of the centers' energy usage, includes ecological safety efforts and AI job training, and establishes a "public dashboard" anywhere locals can province their input on the centers.
Moore's executive order additionally established the Maryland Data Center Task Force, which volition assessment data center projects, keep a community data center dashboard, and more.
"My fear is a innovation that no individual being can control," Moore told MS NOW reporters in delayed September. "We've got to comprehend that susceptible balance of collaboration and competition. As a governor, I'm extremely rivalrous alongside my another governors. But I do comprehend that there are places anywhere the concentration is collaboration and not competition."
Massachusetts
Maura Healey (D), Massachusetts' administrator up for reelection, has asserted that AI shouldn't advancement faster than the authorities can defend group from its risks. In September, Healey called for national action to fortify AI guardrails and oversight that the two authorize for innovation and defend national security.
Like Moore, Healey's administration has additionally created a province AI project force. The state's project force, created in 2024, additionally includes a $100 myriad Applied AI Hub that studies how to use AI to advancement Massachusetts' existence sciences, healthcare, financial services, advanced manufacturing, robotics, and learning sectors.
"AI has enormous possible to run specialized discovery, fortify key industries, enhance community services, and create new opportunities for businesses and residents throughout Massachusetts," Gov. Healey wrote in a September media release. "At the identical time, the fast gait of AI betterment raises grave concerns concerning safety, accountability, privacy, civic rights, the forthcoming of work, and community trust."
Michigan
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has welcomed data center construction, specified as Oracle and OpenAI's project in Saline Township, but alongside guidelines.
Her July act scheme ensures that data center companies pay building and procedure costs, fortify and safeguard the state's electric grid and natural resources, and are accountable for their development.
"It's simple: any data center business that wants to allocate in Michigan must justify operating families do not pay a sole penny for data center betterment or operations, defend our natural resources, and create local, good-paying jobs," Whitmer wrote in a media release.
Michigan is residence to The Barn, a $16 billion, 1.4-gigawatt data-center evidence in Saline Township that Related Digital is construction for Oracle and OpenAI as part of the Stargate project.
Minnesota
Tim Walz (D), Minnesota's governor, signed a law in May prohibiting admission to "nudification" innovation that can create counterfeit nude images of genuine people.
"This invoice makes apparent that using innovation to create fake, non-consensual close images is unacceptable and puts Minnesota at the forefront of addressing the harms of AI during protecting group from exploitation and abuse," Walz wrote in a media release.
The law echoes Walz's broader method to AI, which encourages its betterment during example lines about any use that threatens privacy or safety, specifically for children.
In May 2023, he additionally signed a province law that regulates and restricts the use of deepfakes in governmental campaigns.
Mississippi
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed a memorandum of understanding alongside NVIDIA in June 2025 to advance AI education, workforce integration, and investigation collaboration.
His concentration is on ensuring Mississippi's workforce can use AI effectively; in May, he launched a statewide AI example that centers on equipping students and workers alongside skills in ethical reasoning and AI-related cybersecurity awareness.
During a Sept. 30 Federalist Society conversation, Reeves emphasized that Mississippi plant efficiently at cutting deals alongside companies, particularly AI and data center companies, highlighting the state's $20 billion alliance alongside xAI was expected to initiate lone a few weeks following making the deal.
"So many states about the nation commencement at no and provision you the burden to ultimately get to yes…" Reeves said. "…We commencement at yes, and as we navigate our way through it, we've got extremely seasoned, gifted group who run our financial betterment shop."
Missouri
In May, Mike Kehoe (R), Missouri's governor, announced that Google volition allocate $15 billion into data center building in New Florence, a agrarian town in chief Missouri.
Kehoe additionally signed an executive order in January that allows for growth in data centers and Missouri's use in AI, during calling on financial and natural resources board to study how AI could effect the local workforce and citizens' energy bills.
The province is residence to among the largest planned data centers in the US, Nebius' AI Factory, which volition attain a capability of up to 1.2 gigawatts.
Montana
Greg Gianforte (R), Montana's administrator and a former application entrepreneur who founded RightNow Technologies, afterward acquired by Oracle, has approached AI from a endeavor perspective.
In 2025, he signed Montana's Right to Compute Act, which established lawful protections for businesses' use of AI, limiting the government's interference in their use. He additionally launched 406 JOBS in 2025, a workforce program aimed at modernizing the state's workforce.
Nebraska
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R), up for reelection, akin multiple another governors, has expressed that locals shouldn't forefront the invoice for energy expenses stemming from data centers.
In July, Pillen ended admission to certain province tax incentives for data centers and created a project power to analyze their effect on water, electricity, and local infrastructure.
"Early in my administration, I called for a intermission in construction new data centers, and this administrator command is accordant alongside that call," Pillen wrote in a media release. "Data centers are a booming industry. Major tech companies are flowing hundreds of billions of dollars into them. And during that presents important financial opportunity, it additionally presents asset challenges."
Nevada
Joe Lombardo (R), Nevada's administrator up for reelection, has emphasized the financial chance AI data centers bring for the state.
In September, he signed an executive order requiring data center developers to shield project-related energy costs. The command additionally aims to assistance community schools and defend the state's h2o resources.
Lombardo has stated he supports data centers since they bring jobs, investment, and financial growth to the state.
"At the identical time, we have to put the correct parameters in location to justify they don't lift expenses on Nevada residents or businesses," he wrote in a May Facebook post. "As Governor, I'm focused on expanding our economics responsibly during protecting rates for families."
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R), who is up for reelection, has shown skepticism toward data centers because of the amount of energy they require.
In August, Ayotte stated she supported a moratorium on data centers, arguing that New Hampshire does not have adequate energy capability to assistance them without hiking up power costs. She additionally stated she is opposed to a possible data center being built in Bow, a small town in chief New Hampshire.
New Jersey
In September, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) issued a $1.07 myriad fine to the DataOne data center in Vineland, holding that the data center violated the New Jersey Air Pollution Control Act by installing and functioning 62 ample natural-gas power generators without Department of Environmental Protection permits.
"Data centers volition pay their fair portion for energy, be accountable for their h2o and energy use, defend our environment, create good-paying union jobs, and allocate in communities," Sherrill wrote on a social media post.
She has signed law requiring data centers to study their power and h2o use to the Board of Public Utilities every six months, and additionally has expressed that AI education have to be embedded into New Jersey's learning programs.
New Mexico
In 2025, Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), New Mexico's governor, announced a $1 milliard alliance alongside Meta on a new geothermal factory for the company's data center. Geothermal energy, which is considered a green power source, taps warmth below Earth's exterior to create electricity; it can additionally be used immediately for heating and cooling.
The $1 milliard funding volition create 3,000 building jobs and 100 jobs operating the geothermal power plant. New Mexico touts 22 data centers — one of which is Project Jupiter, among the largest in the US.
The province is residence to among the largest planned data centers in the US, Stargate's Project Jupiter, which could contain up to 2.45 gigawatts of Bloom Energy energy cells, replacing an before recommendation centered on gas turbines and diesel generators.
New York
Kathy Hochul (D), New York's administrator up for reelection, akin California Gov. Gavin Newsom, is exploring an AI "kill switch" that would close off AI systems in a crucial event.
In delayed December 2025, she signed the RAISE Act, which requires AI developers to create and publish data concerning their safety protocols and to study incidents to the province authorities inside 72 hours of an incident.
Under the law, New York's Attorney General can bring civic actions against developers who neglect to present reports, alongside penalties rising up to $1 myriad for the archetypal infringement and up to $3 myriad for consequent violations.
Hochul additionally issued an administrator command imposing a one-year moratorium on large-scale AI data centers in July to measure and location their ecological and community impact.
North Carolina
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D), akin many governors, has approached AI as the two an financial chance and a guideline challenge.
His administration's AI Strategic Roadmap, launched in July, aims to defend locals from any damage AI power cause, prepared workers for AI-related changes, and use AI to enhance authorities work.
In a speech announcing the roadmap, Stein stated AI can assistance alongside authorities efficiency, specified as scanning outdated documents and answering residents' questions, but additionally emphasized the need to location the risks that arrive alongside its usage.
North Dakota
Kelly Armstrong (R), North Dakota's governor, signed law in 2025 that limits the function of AI in certain health-care decisions, requiring licensed physicians, fairly than algorithms, to create final decisions in several cases.
Armstrong additionally sees AI as an financial opportunity, holding that North Dakota's natural-gas industry could assistance provision the energy data centers need.
Similar to Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Armstrong believes the state's colder climate can authorize AI and data center companies to lesser their cooling costs.
Ohio
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) stated in September that the national authorities should enact regulations on AI, not the states.
"Look, as far as AI, this really needs to arrive from the national government," DeWine said at an event in New Albany, near Columbus. "We need to have uniformity, not fair in this country; we need to have uniformity in the world. So, I would certainly anticipation we can see several uniformity coming out of Washington."
In May, he additionally paused new applications for data center tax exemptions amid expanding scrutiny of the state's incentives and the expenses connected alongside ample facilities.
According to the governor, in 2025, data centers that had been granted revenue and use tax benefits in the province reported a total chief funding of $27.2 billion.
The province is residence to among the largest planned data centers in the US, accommodation Nvidia-backed project PORTS-Pike Technology Campus, which is expected to contain up to 10 gigawatts of data-center capacity.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) created an AI project power in 2023 to study how the innovation could enhance authorities efficiency, education, and workforce development, and has often described Oklahoma as a possible AI hub.
Stitt's project power was completed in 2024 and recommended five ways the province can execute AI into its workforce and government, mostly by creating oversight, economic, digital, and endowment workforce committees that advance the use of AI throughout sectors.
"Oklahoma is poised to guide the nation in implementation of synthetic intellect technology, and we have to capitalize on the momentum. Oklahoma really could be the AI chief of the nation," Stitt wrote in a 2024 media release.
Like another governors, he aims to defend ratepayers from increasing energy costs connected to data centers, but additionally has stated that he supports the building of data centers, highlighting property entitlements and the liberated market.
Oregon
Oregon's Tina Kotek (D), who is up for reelection, has stated states cannot wait for national act on AI.
In September, Kotek issued an administrator command akin to those of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, directing the province to measure the viability of a "kill switch" necessity for frontier AI models.
"It's encouraging to comprehend AI companies are commencement to arrive onward alongside proposals to location safety concerns, but we cannot merely delay for the personal field to self-regulate a innovation that poses specified an existential and evolving risk," Kotek wrote in a media release.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), up for reelection, stated at a September AI Horizons Summit that he sees AI's possible to enhance efficiency and community services, but asserted that the innovation needs stronger guardrails.
"I desire to be clear: I am not a doomer," he stated at the summit. "I don't think it is inevitable that AI is going to obtain complete the earth or that person volition misuse it to slay us or do harm."
He additionally cracked downward on data centers in August, saying that data center proposals are scaring and changing the character of Pennsylvania communities.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (D) created an AI project force and Center of Excellence for AI and Data in 2024, the two in an attempt to study how AI could addition authorities effectiveness and enhance community services.
"Rhode Island recognizes that the increase of AI innovation volition enhance forthcoming authorities operations and alter the way we do business," McKee wrote in a media release. "Rather than merely react to the changes in the data innovation landscape, I desire Rhode Island to be a chief as this site evolves."
South Carolina
Beginning in first 2024, Henry McMaster (R), South Carolina's governor, was the place of the Southern Regional Education Board Commission on Artificial Intelligence in Education.
In his role, McMaster convened alongside another learning and endeavor leaders to diagram a way for the use of AI in classrooms and to prepared the workforce for the technology.
"When used correctly, AI is a mighty tool capable of reshaping our learning system," McMaster wrote. "By operating together, we can conquer the challenges that AI presents and harness its power to justify our students are prepared for the workforce of the future."
In general, McMaster is careful toward rushing into authorities regulation on AI, arguing that politicians do not have a complete understanding yet of its benefits and drawbacks.
Regarding his perspective on data centers, McMaster stated in late September that he does not scheme to call for a statewide data center moratorium.
The province houses three of Google's data centers, which opened in 2007. In 2024, the business announced it would established two new data center campuses in the state, a blended funding of $3.3 billion.
"Google's latest funding volition fortify South Carolina's stance as an emerging chief in innovation and innovation," McMaster wrote in a statement.
South Dakota
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden (R), who is up for reelection, has additionally banned Chinese apps from province devices.
In 2025, Rhoden signed a invoice making it a Class 1 misdemeanor to disseminate an undisclosed deepfake intended to injure a applicant inside 90 days of an election, punishable by up to a twelvemonth in jail, a $2,000 fine, or both.
He is one of multiple governors who signed a invoice that protects residents from increased usefulness costs caused by data centers.
Tennessee
Bill Lee (R), Tennessee's governor, signed the ELVIS Act — Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act — in 2024 to defend musicians from being cloned or replicated by AI without consent.
Tennessee was the archetypal province in the US to legally defend artists and musicians from deepfakes. Lee additionally signed a invoice before this twelvemonth that prohibits AI developers from falsely posing as qualified mental health professionals.
The province is residence to among the largest planned data centers in the US, xAI's Colossus 2, which powers Grok, the AI chatbot on X, and is expected to provision 1.5 gigawatts in capacity.
Texas
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), up for reelection, has shifted his views toward AI complete the former year.
Less than a twelvemonth ago, Abbott welcomed the plethora of Big Tech companies constructing data centers throughout the state, calling Texas the "epicenter of AI development."
But alongside expanding backlash toward the uptick in electric and h2o expenses for locals, Abbott has shifted his viewpoint on data centers, saying that the companies construction them "dug their own grave" by failing to additionally build community support.
In August, Abbott announced that OpenAI would comply alongside his established data center guidelines, including not passing on expenses to Texans or interfering alongside their norm of life.
The province houses multiple of the US' largest planned data centers, including Meta's El Paso data center and Fermi America's Project Matador, the second following up to 17 gigawatts of personal power.
Utah
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) called on Congress in September to established guidelines on AI, including mandatory reporting of important safety incidents, whistleblower protections for tech employees, autonomous safety evaluations for models, and restrictions on the transaction of advanced AI chips to China.
"We can build the world's most advanced AI current in America during ensuring it remains firmly in assistance of humanity," Cox wrote on X.
In May, he issued an command establishing a "higher bar" for forthcoming data center projects following community backlash against his assistance for a project near Salt Lake City. The command requires greater transparency and protections for water, air quality, the Great Salt Lake, local communities, and usefulness customers.
Vermont
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R), who is up for reelection, is one of many governors who established a project power to measure how AI power form the state's economy.
In June, Scott's administration partnered alongside Anthropic through Vermont's Agency of Digital Services to test province IT systems for safety vulnerabilities. The accord gives the province $100,000 in credits for Claude Code, Anthropic's AI tool.
He additionally signed law requiring disclosure of deceptive and fraudelent AI-generated satisfied used in election campaigns inside 90 days of an election.
Virginia
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is one of multiple governors who accept states should guide on AI hazard assessments fairly than delay for Washington to act.
"The national authorities needs to perform a much larger function in regulating this emerging innovation to justify its harmless betterment and the safety of group and their livelihoods," Spanberger wrote in September.
She created a province AI Task Force in September to analyze workforce displacement, data privacy, cybersecurity, and ways existing laws can location AI-related harms.
Regarding data centers, Virginia has the largest data market in the US alongside complete 100,000 jobs and complete $40 milliard in investments, according to the Northern Virginia Technology Council.
Spanberger lately unveiled a Data Center Accountability Framework, requiring centers to pay their own transfer costs, fortify ecological and water-use protections, and provision communities additional input on projected developments.
Washington
Bob Ferguson (D), Washington's governor, has expressed involvement complete children's safety whenever using AI.
Earlier this year, he signed legislation that requires disclosures that group are interacting alongside AI, safeguards about self-harm content, and protections for minors from sexually definitive conversations.
Ferguson additionally signed a bill that requires covered AI providers to contain provenance data in AI-generated or materially altered images, video, and audio.
West Virginia
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) has stated he views the province as a "powerhouse" for AI and haze computing, announcing before this twelvemonth that Penzance Management volition allocate $4 billion in an AI evidence in Berkeley County, concerning 75 miles northwest of Washington, DC.
"By earning the state's archetypal High Impact Intelligence Center designation, Penzance is assisting us change the Mountain State into a powerhouse for synthetic intellect and haze computing," he wrote in a statement. "This project brings a enormous new income stream to our communities - all driven by personal chief and our dedication to a business-friendly, dependable energy strategy."
Morrisey has additionally supported AI health tools that decrease administrative activity for agrarian providers.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) has focused his method toward AI on how it affects the workforce.
In 2023, he created the Governor's Task Force on Workforce and Artificial Intelligence to measure how the innovation could reshape Wisconsin jobs, skills, and key industries. Its 2024 action plan focused on preparing workers and institutions for an AI-driven economy.
He has additionally welcomed data center projects, saying they can be built during motionless protecting the surroundings and the local communities.
Wyoming
Mark Gordon (R), Wyoming's governor, sees AI as an chance to develop the state's economy, particularly through data centers and advanced computing.
Earlier this year, he issued "Data Centers the Wyoming Way," an administrator command intended to create a statewide example for data-center development, including its energy, water, and community impacts.
"While another states hit the intermission clasp out of governmental fear, we are choosing act and collaboration," Gov. Gordon wrote in a declaration to Business Insider. "We are proving America's digital infrastructure can be built the Wyoming Way."
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Tristin Hoffman is a Life Fellow on Business Insider’s Editorial Partnerships team. Her reporting focuses on retail, travel, business, and additional through a ocular storytelling and manner lens. She has earlier reported on Oregon’s economics for The Oregonian and Pennsylvania litigation for Law.com. Her stories have inspired guideline changes, shed ray on community officials’ misconduct, and gained national awards. She graduated from the University of Oregon, anywhere she studied reporting and law during serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Emerald.