This Month's Latest Tech News in Lawrence, KS - Saturday May 31st 2025 Edition

Lawrence and the Kansas City region are emerging as focal points in America's accelerating AI and tech revolution, with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) recent identification of 16 federally owned or managed sites - including the Kansas City National Security Campus - for rapid development of AI-powered data centers.

This ambitious initiative, detailed in the DOE's Request for Information on Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure, aims to capitalize on robust local energy resources, including prospects for on-site nuclear and renewable generation, to meet ballooning AI data demands; industry input closes on May 7, 2025.

The scale of opportunity is underscored by a proposed $12 billion, six-building data hub north of Kansas Speedway, which would tap up to 600 megawatts of energy - far surpassing current local power thresholds - with regional leaders emphasizing the economic, employment, and infrastructure spillover for Lawrence and Wyandotte County residents.

As local reporting highlights, industry giants and federal policymakers alike see the Midwest as a nexus for affordable, scalable digital infrastructure.

Nationally, this public-private effort is hailed as the “next Manhattan Project,” charting a course for U.S. tech leadership in global AI - read a full analysis at Data Center Dynamics.

Site	Capacity / Highlights
Argonne National Laboratory	110 acres, 1,000MW AI data park
Kansas City National Security Campus	50-acre secured site, vital regional employer
Oak Ridge National Laboratory	Site of federal AI security research, adjacent to new small modular reactor

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is spearheading an ambitious initiative to bolster the country's artificial intelligence leadership by inviting developers to construct AI data centers and their supporting energy infrastructure on 16 federally owned or managed sites, including Kansas City's National Security Campus.

This unprecedented move, which continues a rare bipartisan consensus from the last two administrations, enables rapid data center permitting - especially for nuclear and diversified power generation - to keep pace with the explosive growth in data demand, projected to consume up to 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028.

Kansas City's pivotal role is underscored by the inclusion of the National Security Campus, a secured site with established energy and utility access primed for advanced, resilient AI operations.

As DOE Secretary Chris Wright emphasized,

“The global race for AI dominance is the next Manhattan project... U.S. can and will win. DOE is leveraging domestic resources to power the AI revolution while delivering affordable, reliable, and secure energy to Americans.”

The DOE's Request for Information seeks rapid public and private sector engagement, with a target for some operations to commence by the end of 2027.

For a full list of selected sites and key features - including proximity to top research labs and robust infrastructure - see DOE's federal data center roadmap, explore policy and energy strategy insights at Heatmap's analysis of the DOE's internal plans, and review Kansas City's strategic positioning for AI innovation via Data Center Frontier's coverage of public-private partnership opportunities.

DOE Site	Key Feature
Kansas City National Security Campus	Secured site, robust power & water infrastructure
Argonne National Laboratory	1,000MW AI data park, proximity to Chicago
Brookhaven National Laboratory	90+ acre Discovery Park District, access to Long Island energy grid
Oak Ridge National Laboratory	Home to federal AI security research initiative
National Renewable Energy Laboratory	Infrastructure for 100MW data center, initiation possible 2025

Significant controversy surrounds the Department of Energy's (DOE) sweeping job cuts and resource reallocation efforts, both nationally and in the Kansas City region, with a profound local impact given that nearly 30,000 federal jobs make up about 3% of Kansas City's workforce.

The first 100 days of the Trump administration's new term saw thousands laid off or offered deferred resignation at the DOE - more than 2,700 employees, over 17% of the workforce, have applied for buyouts, and many vital offices, such as the Loan Programs Office, face losses of up to 50% of their staff.

In Kansas City, these terminations affect critical agencies like the IRS, FHA, USDA, SSA, and VA - agencies that provide public services ranging from tax processing to aviation safety.

"The mass layoffs pushed by the current administration and DOGE are not just uprooting the lives of dedicated federal workers - they are putting at risk the essential services our communities rely on every day,"

stressed U.S. Representative Sharice Davids as she spoke with newly unemployed workers.

The chaos has been amplified by confusion - workers in essential roles, including at the National Nuclear Security Administration and Indian Health Service, received termination notices only to be rehired days later, highlighting the hurried nature and inefficiency of these reductions.

Economists warn that every federal job lost can mean another private sector job lost in the area, compounding economic pain. For more detail on DOE's unprecedented downsizing and its effect on advanced energy projects, see Latitude Media's in-depth report on DOE job cuts; explore community and agency-level impacts in The Missouri Independent's coverage of Kansas City federal layoffs; and read about employees' firsthand experiences and community consequences in U.S. Representative Sharice Davids' official statement on federal workforce downsizing.

Metric	Value
DOE Full-time Employees	15,795
Employees Applied for Buyout	2,700+ (17%)
Kansas City Federal Jobs	~29,883
DOE Loan Office Staff Loss	Up to 50%
Federal Employment Share in Region	3%

Elevate Festival 2025, set for October 7-9 in Toronto, is poised to be a landmark event, uniting 10,000 innovators worldwide and featuring 250+ speakers across eight content tracks with a strong focus on applied AI and responsible tech transformation.

The festival stands out for achieving unprecedented gender diversity - 51% of attendees identify as women or non-binary, a benchmark well above the industry norm.

Notable featured speakers include Sierra Co-Founder Clay Bavor ($285M raised for AI-driven customer experience), Aurora's Chris Urmson (autonomous vehicles pioneer), and Dorothy Kilroy of OURA ($2.55B valuation).

Attendees will access expanded Main Stage sessions, hands-on AI masterclasses capped at 100 participants, and specialized lounges for founders, investors, and women+ in tech.

“Last year's event catalyzed hundreds of thousands of dollars in startup investments, with 2025 positioned to deliver similar economic impact for Canada's innovation ecosystem,” festival organizers highlight.

The festival is organized by non-profit Elevate, which recently acquired the CIX Summit and continues its mission to transform Canada's tech community year-round.

For a deeper dive into programming and a full speaker lineup, visit the official Elevate Festival announcement, explore curated networking and masterclass details in the 2025 Elevate Festival Highlights, and read about the festival's economic and diversity milestones in this comprehensive overview from USA Today.

This year's Elevate Festival 2025 is breaking barriers and setting new benchmarks for inclusion, as 51% of attendees now identify as women or non-binary - a figure that substantially exceeds typical industry standards for major tech gatherings.

The event is dedicated to amplifying the impact of women+ and Indigenous entrepreneurs, featuring leaders such as Althea Wishloff, a member of the Gitxsan Nation and general partner at Raven Capital, who oversees a $110 million fund to support Indigenous and Native American tech founders.

Pioneers like Ida Tin, who coined “femtech” and reached 12+ million users with Clue, and Dorothy Kilroy, who drove Airbnb's $180B earnings through global host enablement, highlight Elevate's commitment to diverse expertise and perspectives.

Specialized experiences, including the Women in Tech Lounge and targeted programming for Women+ in Tech, create dedicated spaces for mentorship, networking, and deal-making.

Last year alone, Elevate catalyzed hundreds of thousands of dollars in startup investments and continues to foster an environment where year-round programming supports underrepresented founders in Canada and beyond.

As Lisa Zarzeczny, Elevate's CEO, has grown the festival from 5,000 to over 20,000 participants in just a few years, the organization underscores its mission to “connect world-class innovators to catalyze transformation in the Canadian tech ecosystem.” For a deeper dive into the festival's diversity efforts and standout speakers, explore the full 2025 Elevate Festival coverage by Knox News, review USAToday's detailed industry analysis of Elevate Festival 2025, or learn more about Elevate's inclusive year-round programs at Elevate's official website.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is rapidly advancing plans to enable AI data center construction on 16 federal sites - such as Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, and the Kansas City National Security Campus - leveraging secure land, existing infrastructure, and proximity to advanced energy sources like nuclear and geothermal.

In a move aligning bipartisan priorities, this initiative combines private sector investment (through ground leases or public-private partnerships) with fast-tracked permitting for cutting-edge, carbon-free energy solutions, including small modular reactors and geothermal arrays, to meet the surging electricity demands of AI. The DOE's recent Request for Information invites developers and utilities to shape technical, operational, and economic models for these strategic sites, with the first operations targeted for the end of 2027.

As data center electricity demand is projected to triple - consuming up to 12% of U.S. power by 2028 - co-location with advanced generation is crucial. Industry leaders highlight the scale, stating,

“The entire state of Oregon is about 6 gigawatts (GW), and you have these large hyperscalers [asking], ‘Can I get 6 GW too?'” - Amazon manager

Moving forward, innovative financing - such as cost stabilization facilities to de-risk nuclear builds - will be vital to success.

For further details, see DOE's list of proposed AI data center sites and nuclear integration, analysis of nuclear solutions for large-scale data infrastructure, and insights on co-located clean power generation for data centers.

Key Metric	2024	2028 (Projected)
Data Center Share of U.S. Electricity	~4%	Up to 12%
Federal Sites in DOE Initiative	16	16+
Planned Operational Start	-	End of 2027

Pope Francis's enduring legacy on AI ethics and truth in media is acutely relevant as deepfakes and misinformation increasingly challenge the fabric of trusted information.

His warnings about artificial intelligence's power to distort reality underscored the urgent need for media literacy and vigilant citizenship, cautioning that AI-generated and social media–driven misinformation “not only distorts facts but also perceptions,” fostering division and eroding social trust.

The Vatican's recent document, Antiqua et Nova, approved by Francis in early 2025, reiterates that while technological progress is part of humanity's destiny, AI must always be governed by human agency, ethical consciousness, and an unwavering respect for human dignity: as the Vatican stressed,

“The moral evaluation of this technology will need to take into account how it is directed and used.”

These insights have become even more pressing as both Pope Francis and now Pope Leo XIV have been targets of sophisticated AI disinformation campaigns, including viral deepfake images and fabricated statements, highlighting how AI-driven fake news can undermine foundations of democracy and faith.

The consensus among Vatican leaders and global scholars is clear: AI must serve humanity by upholding transparency, accountability, and justice - not fueling alienation or manipulation.

For a comprehensive breakdown of these ethical principles and regulatory recommendations, see the Vatican's international workshop statement and its call for global “algor-ethics,” available in the Consensus Statement on Artificial Intelligence, Justice, and Democracy.

To understand the historical context and practical challenges posed by deepfake media targeting leading society figures, revisit Poynter's in-depth exploration of Pope Francis's role as an early victim of AI-manipulated disinformation, and his call for journalists and the public alike to become “promoters of a journalism of peace.”

Kansas City has emerged as a focal point for the future of AI infrastructure, thanks to a sweeping federal initiative by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) targeting 16 sites - including the Kansas City National Security Campus - for rapid data center development.

As detailed in RCR Wireless's federal site breakdown, these locations were selected for their robust existing infrastructure, reliable access to energy, and capacity for fast-track permitting for new power generation such as nuclear, solar, and natural gas.

A landmark $12 billion data center proposal near Kansas Speedway is set to cover 540 acres and could consume up to 600 megawatts of energy, reflecting a regional trend driven by AI's soaring demands; this is paralleled by Google's and Meta's investments in the area.

The DOE's Request for Information, as summarized by Data Center Dynamics, seeks input from developers, utilities, and tech companies to establish public-private partnerships aimed at operational readiness by the end of 2027.

These projects are set against a landscape of anticipated exponential power consumption - from 4% to as much as 12% of total U.S. electricity use by 2028 - as reported by Renewable Energy World.

The following table summarizes key DOE sites and their distinguishing features:

Site	Location	Potential Capacity	Key Features
Kansas City National Security Campus	Missouri	35 cleared acres	Non-nuclear manufacturing, available land, proximity to Kansas City metro
Argonne National Laboratory	Illinois	1,000 MW	Tax incentives, close to Chicago, large-scale expansion potential
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant	Kentucky	Up to 3 GW	Substantial infrastructure, abundant water, major transport access

“The global race for AI dominance is the next Manhattan project... The Department of Energy is taking important steps to leverage our domestic resources to power the AI revolution, while continuing to deliver affordable, reliable, and secure energy to the American people.”

These developments position Kansas City as a national leader in AI and energy innovation, drawing worldwide attention to its evolving infrastructure and economic potential.

Political and industry leaders are playing pivotal roles in shaping the future of artificial intelligence (AI) both in Kansas and across the United States, as recent developments reveal a growing push-and-pull between state and federal oversight.

In May 2025, Congress began considering landmark federal AI regulations, while state attorneys general - including Kansas - joined a 40-state bipartisan coalition urging Congress not to enact a proposed 10-year federal ban on state-level AI laws that many believe would leave consumers exposed to harmful AI applications.

As highlighted in the bipartisan attorneys general letter, states have enacted over 75 new AI-related measures this year, ranging from election protections to combating AI-generated explicit content.

Meanwhile, in Kansas, Governor Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 186, strengthening legal protections against AI-generated child sexual abuse material and malicious deepfakes, reflecting a local approach that has become a model for other states.

“Senate Bill 186 establishes stronger protections against sexual crimes in both the digital realm and the physical world.” - Governor Laura Kelly

As the National Conference of State Legislatures notes, AI legislation spans categories including consumer protection, transparency, and national security - with Kansas also moving to ban foreign-controlled AI models on state devices.

For a full overview of enacted and pending state actions, see the comprehensive AI legislation summary 2025.

In this dynamic environment, the interplay between federal leadership and state innovation is proving critical, as detailed in this in-depth Congressional overview of first federal AI regulations.

Elevate Festival 2025 is set to become a pivotal event for startup founders and AI talent seekers, as it welcomes 10,000 global attendees and more than 250 speakers from October 7-9 in Toronto.

This seventh annual gathering, organized by Elevate - a non-profit that also steers the CIX Summit - empowers innovation through eight specialized tracks, including AI, Scale Up, and Women+ in tech.

The festival stands out for its focus on both breakthrough AI and equity: 51% of attendees identify as women or non-binary, surpassing industry diversity norms and fueling a more inclusive tech ecosystem.

Notably, last year's Elevate catalyzed hundreds of thousands of dollars in startup investment, a trend expected to continue for 2025. The lineup features world-class leaders such as Clay Bavor (Sierra; $285M raised for AI customer agents), Chris Urmson (Aurora; autonomous vehicles), and Dorothy Kilroy (OURA Health; $2.55B valuation, ex-Airbnb).

Dedicated experiences like the Women in Tech Lounge, Founder Acceleration Hub for investor meetings, and masterclasses on AI deployment round out the programming, with ongoing support through year-round accelerators such as eCommerce North.

Early bird tickets and further information are available at the official Elevate Festival 2025 official website.

For a full overview of the event's ambitions and impact, see the official Elevate Festival 2025 press release on Courier Journal, and for the latest updates and speaker announcements, read the Elevate Festival 2025 official blog post.

Historical gender parity reached new heights at Elevate Festival 2025, where 51% of attendees identified as women or non-binary - far surpassing typical tech event benchmarks and sparking momentum for similar inclusivity at Lawrence, KS events.

This Toronto-based festival not only showcased world-class AI innovators, but also actively fostered gender equity through initiatives like the Women in Tech Lounge and dedicated Women+ in Tech programming, substantially impacting startup investment with hundreds of thousands of dollars catalyzed annually for diverse founders (read more on record gender diversity at Elevate 2025).

Notably, such achievements contrast sharply with global venture capital realities: in 2024, all-female founding teams received only 2.3% of VC funding, and both deal counts and investment sizes lagged significantly behind male-led startups.

As shown in the table below, the funding gap persists despite modest gains:

Year	VC Funding to Female-Founded Companies
2019	2.8%
2023	2.1%
2024	2.3%

This disparity is echoed across regions and sectors, but Elevate's proactive approach sets a vital precedent by demonstrating how intentional program design and strong public-private partnerships propel both gender parity and economic growth (see full 2025 global women-in-funding report).

As Lawrence looks to upcoming tech gatherings, Elevate's model offers a blueprint for inclusion-driven innovation and investment that's already transforming the industry landscape (learn how Elevate combines diversity with economic impact).

As the Department of Energy (DOE) accelerates the national strategy for artificial intelligence, Lawrence, KS and its greater region stand at the forefront of a generational opportunity.

The DOE's recent identification of 16 major federal sites - including the Kansas City National Security Campus just outside Lawrence - for rapid AI data center and energy infrastructure development spotlights this area's emerging role in powering America's AI ambitions.

These sites, detailed in DOE's official RFI announcement, are backed by bipartisan executive orders and promise fast-tracked permitting, advanced energy integration, and public-private collaboration with a target to have AI operations online by 2027.

The plan emphasizes co-located power sources - including nuclear, renewables, and natural gas - at research hubs renowned for their security, workforce, and research ecosystems, ushering in the next wave in supercomputing, clean energy, and national security breakthroughs (see Renewable Energy World's full analysis).

As Energy Secretary Chris Wright put it,

“The global race for AI dominance is the next Manhattan project... U.S. can and will win. DOE is leveraging domestic resources to power the AI revolution while delivering affordable, reliable, and secure energy to Americans.”

For local entrepreneurs, students, and tech professionals in Lawrence, this development signals both a call to upskill and a pathway to participate in the global AI transformation.

Whether you're exploring the public-private tech boom, building your career with foundational coding skills, or seeking a specialized AI or cybersecurity focus, Lawrence is poised to connect residents with the future of tech.

For more details - site descriptions, operational targets, and the broader economic impact - consult RCR Wireless's nationwide summary, then consider how local education and innovation resources can help you thrive at the very crossroads of AI opportunity.