This Month's Latest Tech News in Amarillo, TX - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

This month, Amarillo stands at the forefront of a transformative tech wave as the Helios Data Center in Dickens County pivots from bitcoin mining to become a major hub for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC).

CoreWeave's expanded partnership with Galaxy Digital will deliver a staggering 393 MW of contracted IT capacity - an increase enabled by their recent agreement for an additional 260 MW - which positions the site among the largest AI infrastructure campuses in North America.

“This Phase II commitment with CoreWeave marks another major step in Galaxy's evolution as a trusted partner for the next generation of data center infrastructure,” said Galaxy CEO Mike Novogratz, emphasizing the region's rising role in powering the digital economy.

Site modifications are already underway, and the local community anticipates new jobs, economic stability, and enhanced regional prestige as an energy and technology leader.

For detailed context on how this initiative reshapes the Panhandle, see the Helios Data Center's local impact, CoreWeave and Galaxy Digital partnership agreement details, and Galaxy Digital's strategic commitment to AI infrastructure.

Industry watchers can expect Amarillo's tech scene to keep growing as innovation in AI and cloud computing continues to accelerate.

The Helios data center in Dickens County, once a prominent Bitcoin mining facility, is undergoing a major transformation into an artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) powerhouse as Galaxy Digital expands its partnership with CoreWeave.

Under a new multi-phase agreement, CoreWeave will lease an additional 260 megawatts (MW) of critical IT load, bringing its total contracted capacity at Helios to approximately 393 MW and solidifying the campus as a regional leader in digital infrastructure.

Conversion efforts at the 126,000-square-foot site are already underway, targeting a phased rollout with Phase I coming online in 2026 and Phase II throughout 2027.

This Phase II commitment with CoreWeave marks another major step in Galaxy's evolution as a trusted partner for the next generation of data center infrastructure. New and advanced digital infrastructure is already rapidly reshaping industries and opening new opportunities,

said Galaxy's CEO, Mike Novogratz.

The Helios campus, acquired from Argo Blockchain for $65 million in 2022, now boasts an approved 800 MW of capacity - with another 1.7 gigawatts under review for future expansion.

This strategic pivot signals Galaxy's move away from solely traditional crypto mining, as it aims to maximize shareholder value by meeting the surging demand for AI-specific hardware and hosting.

For further details on the facility's scale and industry dynamics, see this in-depth CoreWeave data center leasing report, the official announcement on Galaxy's strategic partnership, and a market-focused explainer on the expansion's financial impact.

Phase	Capacity (MW)	Delivery Timeline
I	133	H1 2026
II	260	2027
Total Committed	393	By 2027

Cognigy, a leading developer of AI-driven customer service platforms, is relocating its U.S. headquarters from San Francisco to Plano, Texas, marking a significant boost to North Texas's status as an emerging tech hub.

This move brings Cognigy closer to key enterprise customers such as Toyota and Mercedes-Benz, and leverages the region's robust talent pipeline, favorable business climate, and central geographic location.

The Plano office, located near the Dallas North Tollway, will initially host around 50 employees with plans to grow to as many as 200 within three years, reflecting Cognigy's rapid expansion fueled by more than $160 million in funding and an annual recurring revenue increase of over 800% since 2022.

Strategically, Texas's strong energy infrastructure is also a draw for the AI sector, as Cognigy aims to double its workforce and continue supporting over 1,000 global clients with multilingual, always-available AI agents for contact centers.

“Dallas offers the perfect mix of innovation, energy, and opportunity. We've built a strong U.S. presence over the past seven years, and relocating our headquarters to Dallas brings us closer to top enterprise customers, a rich talent pool, and a community that shares our forward-looking mindset,”

said Philipp Heltewig, CEO and co-founder of Cognigy.

For detailed reporting on this tech migration, read Cognigy's expansion plan details in the Dallas Business Journal, analysis from the Dallas Morning News, and the Dallas Express's coverage of the relocation's impact.

As Amarillo prepares for its May 3, 2025 City Council election, candidates are making technology and infrastructure top priorities, with platforms emphasizing transparency, community engagement, and targeted investment in underserved areas.

At a recent candidate forum, contenders highlighted actionable plans such as zero-based budgeting for fiscal discipline, modernizing the city's electric grid to attract tech firms, and boosting digital tools to streamline permits and city processes.

Leif Kertis, running for Place 4, underscored the need for major infrastructure modernization - particularly water reclamation and wastewater plant upgrades - funded through a blend of public-private partnerships and state grants to minimize taxpayer impact.

Incumbent Tom Scherlen championed past achievements like investing $1 million in North Heights for service expansion, while Patrick Miller advocated for using city resources to address disparities in healthcare and affordable housing.

The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) also stood out as a focal point, with calls for greater oversight, clearer goals, and a commitment that

“Council [is] accountable for every dollar. Need transparency and measurable outcomes.”

Early voting opens this month, and more information on candidates and polling locations can be found on the Amarillo official election website.

For a detailed look at candidate perspectives on infrastructure and city priorities, see the Amarillo City Council election forum coverage.

In-depth candidate Q&As and their approaches to transparent government and responsible development are summarized by the Amarillo Tribune's candidate questionnaire.

This month, a groundbreaking awareness campaign called "Unfinished Legacies" is harnessing artificial intelligence and deepfake technology to bring the voices and stories of fentanyl overdose victims directly to the public, aiming to deter others from similar fates.

Developed by agency BarkleyOKRP in partnership with Kansas City and United Way, the campaign recreates the likenesses, faces, and voices of three young people - including Jaden Anderson, Victor Avalos Marmolejo, and Jordan Coburn - with consent from their families, sharing their personal journeys and hard-learned warnings through ads on social media, Spotify, billboards, and even the victims' own Snapchat accounts.

Recent data provide sobering context: in Kansas City, fentanyl-related deaths have surged by as much as 1,190% in five years, with counterfeit pills implicated in a rising proportion of these tragedies among teens and young adults.

As Chief Creative Officer Katie Hornaday explained,

“We filmed them delivering the message, then used AI to recreate their voice and superimpose their imagery on actors.”

Ethical considerations are front-of-mind, with campaign transparency and family involvement a priority, yet experts like Dr. Joshua Mugg caution about public trust as deepfake technology becomes more prevalent:

“This isn't outright lying, but we have to be cautious about how we use these new tools.”

For a full exploration of the campaign and its impact, visit detailed reports from InvestigateTV's report on AI and fentanyl overdose awareness, Adweek's feature on BarkleyOKRP's AI campaign against fentanyl, and a comprehensive overview from MediaPost's article on AI deepfake technology and fentanyl victim stories.

Year	Counterfeit Pill Involvement in Overdose Deaths
2019	2%
2021	4.7%

The 2024 election cycle marked a significant leap as Amarillo and communities nationwide witnessed the rapid integration of AI technologies into civic processes and local campaigning, unlocking new opportunities and presenting substantial challenges.

As highlighted in a deep dive on AI-powered multilingual voter outreach, advocacy groups have begun leveraging tools like ChatGPT and Claude to surmount language barriers, enabling targeted messaging to America's 66 million non-English speakers and improving campaign efficiency; in test runs, AI translations often performed on par with human efforts, especially for high-resource languages.

However, this technological leap is accompanied by concerns over misinformation and election integrity; federal experts caution that AI systems can be exploited for voter suppression or to generate deceptive content rapidly, a threat examined in the U.S. Election Assistance Commission's overview of AI risks and safeguards for election officials.

Reflecting broader apprehensions, Maria Ressa, Nobel Laureate and journalist, observed,

“Americans are going to vote at a time when their news feeds will give them less facts and reliable information. Personalization has turned the public sphere into an insane asylum, where every person can have their own reality.”

These concerns have led policy experts to call for proactive regulation, transparency, and AI-specific audits - recommendations detailed in an action plan for strengthening U.S. democracy in the age of AI.

As Amarillo's local elections embrace digital innovations, striking the right balance between AI-driven outreach and safeguarding democratic norms remains a community-wide challenge.

This month, West Texas solidified its emergence as a national powerhouse in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, as CoreWeave expanded its footprint at the Helios data center campus in Dickens County.

CoreWeave, backed by Nvidia, secured an additional 260 megawatts (MW) of critical IT load, building on their initial 15-year, 133MW lease with Galaxy Digital Holdings.

This strategic partnership now positions CoreWeave to utilize approximately 393MW for AI and high-performance computing operations, with the campus featuring a total approved power capacity of 800MW and an extra 1.7 gigawatts under study for further expansion.

The transformation of Helios, formerly a leading Bitcoin mining facility, underscores a broader industry pivot away from cryptocurrencies toward data-centric technologies.

Galaxy Digital's CEO Mike Novogratz described the development as

“another major step in Galaxy's evolution as a trusted partner for the next generation of data center infrastructure,”

emphasizing diversification across AI, blockchain, and digital assets.

Local leaders anticipate hundreds of millions in infrastructure investment, boosting regional jobs and tax revenue. The details of this rapid scale-up are captured in the following table:

Metric	Value
CoreWeave Contracted Capacity (Helios)	393 MW
Helios Total Approved Power	800 MW
Potential Future Expansion	1.7 GW under study
Expected Revenue Over 15 Years	$4.5 billion

Read more about this milestone in data center expansion at CoreWeave's additional 260MW capacity lease with Galaxy, the broader transformation of Dickens County's crypto facility into an AI hub, and details of the long-term partnership between Galaxy and CoreWeave.

Amarillo's digital economy is rapidly being tied to quality of life improvements through a series of collaborative community investments, workforce initiatives, and innovative tech infrastructure.

This April, Texas Tech's Discoveries to Impact Month brings together startups, researchers, and students in a lineup of public events including the Undergraduate Research Conference and a $40,000 seed-funding Texas Tech Accelerator Competition, showcasing opportunities for all ages to engage in economic and societal progress.

At the heart of this transformation is the newly opened Edge Data Center, which delivers state-of-the-art bandwidth and connectivity to 52 local school districts - empowering both students and businesses with faster internet and secure digital research environments.

As Region 16's Michael Keough notes,

“The project provides dual lines at 10 gigs, an upgrade from the 0.5 to 1 gig of internet previously available to schools,”

a leap in digital infrastructure that supports quantum and AI research.

Initiative	Impact
Edge Data Center	10 gig connectivity, supports 52 school districts
Discoveries to Impact	Month-long public events focused on startups, research, scholarships
Texas Tech "On & On" Campaign	Goal to raise $1 billion+ for scholarships, research, and campus improvements

Complementing these public and philanthropic efforts, Amarillo mayoral candidates are prioritizing economic growth, equitable technology access, and transparent governance to revitalize underserved areas, upgrade infrastructure, and incentivize local innovation, as detailed in this in-depth candidate Q&A on infrastructure and growth.

Together, these developments illustrate a community-first approach to digital progress that links technology, education, and civic engagement, supporting Amarillo's vision to improve daily life for all residents.

Find more inspiring examples of philanthropy-driven impact and scholarship at Texas Tech's Impact Stories portal.

Texas continues to solidify its reputation as a magnet for technology headquarters and startups, with a notable example being Care.com's recent relocation from Austin to Dallas.

Care.com, a leading online platform connecting families with caregivers for child, senior, and pet care services, announced its move to a modern 14,000-square-foot headquarters in Dallas' Uptown district, aiming to create hundreds of new jobs across tech, HR, marketing, finance, and customer experience teams over the coming years.

According to CEO Brad Wilson,

“Relocating our headquarters to Dallas is more than just a move - it's fuel for our next chapter... joining a bustling tech and business ecosystem will help us further accelerate our mission to make finding care for loved ones simpler, faster, and more accessible.”

The company emphasizes this expansion is not a departure from Austin but rather a strategy to tap into both cities' dynamic business communities and talent pools.

The broader trend continues as Dallas-Fort Worth remains the top U.S. metro for corporate relocations, thanks to its business-friendly environment and skilled workforce.

Below is a quick look at Care.com's transition:

Company	Previous HQ	New HQ	Planned Jobs	Core Focus
Care.com	Austin, TX	Dallas, TX (One West Village, Uptown)	Hundreds over next few years	Digital care marketplace

For deeper insights, explore Care.com's expansion motivations in the CEO's letter on innovation and opportunity in Dallas, learn how this move underscores the region's attractiveness in this Dallas Express coverage, and review industry context and executive perspectives at Business Facilities' report on corporate relocations.

Amarillo is poised for a fiscal transformation as its municipal finance leaders turn to artificial intelligence (AI) for smarter, more transparent budgeting. Recent advances in priority-based budgeting solutions, like Tyler Technologies' AI-powered approach, are enabling cities to move beyond rigid line-item allocations and instead reallocate resources to underfunded community priorities such as infrastructure and public safety.

AI modeling not only relieves workforce strain by sifting through complex datasets but also fosters greater transparency and attracts tech-savvy employees eager for data-driven decision-making.

A comprehensive analysis by the National League of Cities on AI in municipal budgeting details how municipalities nationwide are following this shift - cities like Fort Worth, Texas have redirected focus to program outcomes and seen meaningful impacts in resource efficiency.

The march toward digital finance is reflected in the private sector as well: on-demand insights and automation are rapidly enhancing financial planning and analysis for organizations of all sizes, as outlined in the latest Wolters Kluwer report on AI for financial planning.

These trends are being further accelerated by platforms like the OpenGov Public Service Platform for local government finances, which aims to foster efficiency and transparency in local government finances through integrated AI and ERP solutions.

As Amarillo joins this AI-driven renaissance, its leaders are setting the stage for resilient, future-forward city budgeting that aligns every dollar with community values.

Amarillo's path toward digital transformation is unfolding amidst robust community engagement and spirited debate over the role of AI in local governance. Recent city council meetings have spotlighted resident-driven advocacy for codified digital privacy protections, with Assistant City Manager Rich Gagnon noting,

"An ordinance commits us as a city to doing these things, where a resolution doesn't really have a commitment."

This push culminated in a draft ordinance featuring ten guiding principles, from data minimalism to collaborative development, designed to ensure Amarillo's digital initiatives prioritize citizen rights and transparent technology use (Amarillo Tribune article on digital privacy protections).

Simultaneously, AI solutions like Emma, the city's digital assistant, are redefining civic engagement by streamlining resident services and offering 24/7 access, demonstrating the benefits and challenges of digital governance (Jeskell Systems report on AI-driven resident engagement).

These local debates mirror broader statewide discussions as Texas lawmakers weigh the costs, regulatory reach, and civil liberty concerns of proposed AI legislation, further highlighting the necessity for balanced, community-centered innovation (Texas Policy Research on AI legislation in Texas).

As Amarillo charts its digital future, continued public participation and policy clarity are proving vital to aligning technology growth with community values and trust.

Amarillo is poised for a robust future in the digital era, with the city's 2025 employment outlook reflecting resilience and steady growth despite national fluctuations.

The local unemployment rate remains remarkably low - expected to be 3.3% in 2025, compared to the state average of 4.1% - with projections anticipating 1,500 to 2,000 new jobs, largely driven by defense contractors and a recovering small business sector.

Community commitment to workforce support is evident, as over 1,400 job seekers and 100 businesses participated in recent job fairs, while rapid response services provide resume building and interview preparation for those impacted by layoffs (detailed employment insights in Amarillo, TX).

In terms of economic outlook, Amarillo National Bank points to improving inflation rates - down from 9-11% in 2022 to forecasted 2.4% this year - steady housing demand, and key sector strength in defense, agriculture, and construction, with Senior Investment Officer Matt Ramsey noting,

“Maintaining this momentum will require the managing of structural challenges, including elevated interest rates and pressures on household budgets.”

(in-depth economic analysis by Amarillo National Bank).

These advances are being made in concert with other Texas regions making strides in technology integration and digital resilience, ensuring Amarillo's continued relevance in the evolving tech landscape (economic growth projections for Amarillo and Texas regions).

As Amarillo's digital transformation accelerates, opportunities for upskilling - including tech bootcamps and digital literacy programs - will be crucial to meet workforce demands and sustain growth.