How a Failed Railroad is Fueling the AI Boom in Texas

Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, is making significant strides in the AI world. His new venture, Bolt Data & Energy, is partnering with Texas Pacific Land to build the essential infrastructure for AI data centers: land, power, and water.

West Texas: The New AI Hotspot

West Texas is emerging as a prime location for AI development. The region boasts abundant natural gas and renewable energy resources. Historically, the land was granted to a railroad company in the 1870s, but it gained value during the Texas oil boom. Now, it's being repurposed for AI data centers.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Schmidt views AI as the next big technological revolution. He emphasizes the importance of data centers in keeping pace with China in the global AI race. Bolt plans to start with natural gas power and expand to include wind, solar, and nuclear power.

A Scalable and Resilient Infrastructure

The goal is to create a scalable and resilient infrastructure to meet the growing demand for AI computing power. Schmidt aims to attract major players like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI as anchor customers.

A Unique Approach

Bolt is taking a unique approach by vertically integrating energy ownership with advanced data infrastructure. This makes the platform both efficient and resilient.

Ambitious Plans

The plan is to start with one gigawatt of power capacity and expand to 10 gigawatts, enough to power about 7 million homes. Construction is set to begin within the next couple of years.