This Month's Latest Tech News in Midland, TX - Thursday July 31st 2025 Edition

Midland, Texas continues to solidify its position as a burgeoning hub for AI and technology innovation within the energy sector and beyond. OPX Ai recently expanded its AI-driven Intelligent Operations Center-as-a-Service (IOCaaS) to Midland, delivering 24/7 remote monitoring that boosts Permian Basin oil production efficiency while cutting downtime and costs - services accessible to producers of all scales (OPX Ai Expansion to Midland, Texas).

Simultaneously, New Era Helium closed on a 235-acre site in Ector County to develop a massive 250MW AI and HPC data center campus integrating sustainable power and carbon capture, positioning Midland for significant growth in AI infrastructure (New Era Helium Data Center Joint Venture in Midland).

These advancements parallel robust local investment, with Midland's city budget allocating $9.2 million toward AI and communication technology expansion in 2025, including workforce growth to support automation adoption (Midland 2025 Technology Budget and Workforce Development).

As AI integration accelerates, workforce retraining and accessible educational pathways, like Nucamp's AI Essentials and Tech Entrepreneurship bootcamps, become vital to equip residents with practical AI skills, fostering inclusive economic growth amid automation-driven transformation.

Midland's local AI company, AI Driller, is transforming oil rig operations by enabling a single operator to remotely monitor up to 20 rigs simultaneously, centralizing real-time data to optimize well planning, anti-collision risk detection, and mud motor management.

This platform significantly reduces drilling task times from days to minutes and integrates multiple workflows into one intuitive software suite, as praised by industry professionals for enhancing accuracy and efficiency.

AI Driller recently joined the VERSES Genius commercial program, which will further enhance its AI predictive capabilities for safer, smarter drilling.

This innovation contributes to the expanding $3.54 billion AI in oil and gas market, forecasted to grow at a 12.61% CAGR through 2030, driven by technologies that optimize drilling, improve safety, and reduce costs.

By establishing Midland as a nexus of traditional energy and cutting-edge technology, AI Driller exemplifies how AI integration is reinventing oilfield operations for increased productivity and operational transparency.

For more on Midland's tech evolution and AI-driven energy innovation, see the May 2025 Midland tech news update.

New Era Helium, Inc., a next-gen exploration and production company, is advancing its ambitious AI data center project in the Permian Basin through its joint venture, Texas Critical Data Centers LLC (TCDC), with Sharon AI, Inc.

The JV recently closed on a 235-acre site in Ector County, with an option to expand to 438 acres, strategically located near key natural gas and fiber optic infrastructure to support a scalable 250MW AI and high-performance computing campus.

PowerForward Energy Solutions has been engaged via a Memorandum of Understanding to provide 250MW of behind-the-meter generation using natural gas, ensuring resilient, low-cost energy onsite.

The project incorporates innovative technologies such as advanced cooling and potential carbon capture systems to optimize efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

Phase 1 of the data center, delivering 100MW, is expected by December 2026, with the remainder following six months later. CEO E. Will Gray II highlighted the alignment of Permian Basin energy assets with AI demand, stating:

"Closing on this site marks a key milestone in our strategy to align Permian Basin energy assets with the explosive growth in AI and HPC demand."

This development is a significant step in creating a future-ready platform supporting AI, HPC, and semiconductor innovation in West Texas.

For more details, visit New Era Helium's official announcement on the 235-acre site acquisition, the in-depth profile at Data Center Dynamics, and the Business Wire release on power MOU and strategy update.

Visa is pioneering a transformative approach to digital commerce by partnering with leading AI firms such as Anthropic, Microsoft, OpenAI, Perplexity, and France's Mistral, alongside collaborators like IBM, Stripe, and Samsung, to enable AI “agents” to autonomously manage purchases on behalf of consumers.

These agentic AIs, which combine reasoning, memory, and autonomy, will allow users to set spending limits and preferences, enabling AI to handle complex and routine tasks from grocery shopping to travel bookings with secure, trusted access to Visa's payment network.

As Jack Forestell, Visa's Chief Product and Strategy Officer, highlights, this initiative could be “transformational, on the order of magnitude of the advent of e-commerce itself.” Early pilot programs started in May 2025 with wider adoption expected next year, addressing current AI challenges in transaction processing by vetting users' digital credentials, ensuring transaction legitimacy, and managing disputes.

Consumers can also choose to share their transaction history, enhancing AI recommendations and personalization. This breakthrough could level the playing field for emerging AI companies competing with industry giants like Amazon and Google, signifying a major evolution in how purchases are made digitally.

For more details, visit Visa's announcement on Visa's AI payment collaboration, insights from US News on Visa's AI agent program, and the latest industry analysis at Economy Middle East on Visa's AI shopping agents.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has significantly expanded its AI-powered surveillance capabilities under Governor Greg Abbott's $11 billion Operation Lone Star, deploying a broad array of technologies including facial recognition via Clearview AI, phone data extraction with Cellebrite, license plate readers from Flock Safety, and the Tangles platform for warrantless cell phone tracking.

DPS's contracts reveal large investments: for example, a $1.2 million extension for Clearview AI through 2030 and a nearly $5.3 million contract with PenLink for Tangles, an AI tool scraping social and dark web data and enabling location tracking without court orders, raising Fourth Amendment concerns.

The surveillance network also incorporates over 9,000 wildlife cameras analyzed by AI, and social media monitoring contracts exceeding $20 million. Despite these capabilities, Texas lawmakers have enacted only modest regulatory oversight, with the June 2025 passage of the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA) imposing some restrictions - such as prohibiting AI-based “social scoring” and requiring government disclosure of AI use - yet exempting much biometric data collection for security purposes and lacking strong enforcement mechanisms.

Privacy advocates warn that the current legal framework inadequately addresses issues of warrantless surveillance, racial bias in facial recognition, and transparency, with calls from groups like the ACLU of Texas and Electronic Frontier Foundation for tighter safeguards to prevent a pervasive “police state.” In response, DPS maintains these tools assist legitimate investigations but has withheld internal policy details and audit logs.

For more detailed insights into Texas's AI surveillance expansion and legislative context, see the comprehensive report by the Texas Observer on Texas' AI-Powered Surveillance Arsenal, the legal analysis of HB 149's biometric clarifications at the Security Industry Association, and the coverage of DPS's contract with PenLink detailing privacy concerns at the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre.

On June 22, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law House Bill 149, known as the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA), which will take effect on January 1, 2026.

This landmark legislation establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework targeting AI developers, deployers, and government agencies operating in Texas, aiming to balance innovation with consumer protections.

TRAIGA prohibits AI systems designed or used to intentionally discriminate against protected classes, manipulative behavior inciting self-harm or crime, and the creation or distribution of nonconsensual explicit deepfake content, particularly involving minors.

It mandates disclosure requirements for government bodies and healthcare providers when AI is used, while banning AI-driven social scoring and unauthorized biometric identification without consent.

The law features an AI Sandbox program to allow controlled testing of novel AI applications and creates the Texas Artificial Intelligence Council to oversee ethical AI use and provide state and local training.

Enforcement authority rests solely with the Texas Attorney General, with penalties ranging from $10,000 to $200,000 per violation and daily fines for ongoing breaches.

Notably, TRAIGA places most compliance burdens on government entities while offering a more flexible stance for private sector innovation. The Act joins Texas with states like Colorado and California in pioneering state-level AI governance, reflecting a response to growing calls for transparency and accountability in AI technologies.

For further details on the legislation's provisions and implications, see the detailed analysis by Inside Tech Law, the legislative summary from the Texas Policy Research, and an overview at the Littler AI Legislation Update.

The Texas Tech University System (TTU) and Fermi America have announced plans to build the world's largest advanced energy and artificial intelligence campus on nearly 6,000 acres in the Texas Panhandle near Amarillo.

This $11 billion project, known as the Amarillo HyperGrid, aims to deliver up to 11 gigawatts of IT capacity supported by a diversified energy portfolio including natural gas, solar, wind, nuclear, and grid power.

The campus will encompass 18 million square feet of data center space, with the first gigawatt of power expected online by 2026. Located strategically near the Pantex nuclear facility and major natural gas pipelines, the project supports both AI growth and sustainable energy innovation while providing academic and workforce opportunities for TTU students and faculty through internships and research programs.

As Rick Perry, co-founder of Fermi America and former U.S. Energy Secretary, emphasized,

“We're behind, but we can win. We did it 70 years ago with the Manhattan Project and we can do it again with the help of Fermi America.”

This initiative underscores the region's emerging role in the national race for AI and energy dominance, combining state-of-the-art technology with significant economic impact for Texas and beyond.

For more details, visit the KCBD coverage of TTU and Fermi America's announcement, the official Texas Tech University System press release, and the in-depth Enverus analysis of the energy and tech integration.

Chevron is dramatically enhancing oil extraction efficiency in the Permian Basin by expanding its innovative triple-frac technique, which hydraulically fractures three wells simultaneously rather than one or two.

After a successful pilot in 2024 where about 20% of wells utilized this method, Chevron plans to apply triple-frac to 50-60% of its Permian wells in 2025. This strategic shift aims to reduce well completion times by 25% and cut costs per well by approximately 12%, despite requiring 60% more water and sand daily and 50% more energy consumption.

The technique demands sophisticated logistics - such as over 10 sand delivery trucks per hour - and heavily relies on electric-powered equipment to manage increased resource use efficiently.

Chevron's triple-frac deployment supports its goal of 10% production growth in 2025 while reducing capital spending by $2 billion compared to the prior year, emphasizing capital efficiency and cash flow generation over aggressive expansion.

Furthermore, Chevron is leveraging AI and automation to monitor and optimize fracturing operations remotely, exemplified by its partnership with Halliburton to develop intelligent hydraulic fracturing with real-time subsurface feedback for precise energy delivery into wells.

This combination of triple-frac technology and AI-driven monitoring represents a substantial advance in shale production, positioning Chevron to maintain a competitive edge within the Permian's complex drilling environment.

For detailed insights, visit Chevron's official newsroom on advanced fracking techniques, the Reuters coverage of Chevron's triple-frac scale-up, and Oil and Gas 360's report on Permian developments.

Nvidia reported a record-breaking revenue of $30 billion for Q2 fiscal 2025, a 122% increase year-over-year, driven largely by surging demand for its Data Center segment, which alone generated $26.3 billion - up 154% from the previous year.

Despite facing significant challenges due to U.S. export restrictions, particularly the temporary ban on selling its H20 AI chips to China, Nvidia managed to surpass analyst expectations and projects even stronger Q3 revenue around $32.5 billion.

These export controls, part of the Biden administration's broader AI Diffusion Rule, have cost Nvidia approximately $2.5 billion in potential sales and prompted inventory write-offs, yet CEO Jensen Huang emphasizes that China will continue advancing AI capabilities regardless, underscoring the strategic importance of maintaining global market leadership through innovation and controlled exports.

The recent lifting of the export ban on H20 chips in a trade deal tied to rare earth materials has reignited Nvidia's access to the Chinese market, a critical source of about 13% of its revenue, while maintaining U.S. national security safeguards through stringent Know-Your-Customer protocols in allied regions.

Huang remarked,

“For America to be the world leader, just like we want the world to be built on the American dollar… we want the American tech stack to be the global standard.”

Nvidia's strong financials are complemented by a $50 billion share repurchase authorization, reflecting confidence in long-term growth fueled by next-generation Blackwell GPUs expected to substantially enhance AI throughput in data centers.

For detailed financial insights, visit Nvidia's Q2 Fiscal 2025 Financial Results and for an analysis of recent trade policy shifts affecting Nvidia's China sales, see Tech Wire Asia's coverage on Nvidia's AI chip export ban lift.

Additionally, expert commentary on the strategic balance of export controls and market competitiveness is available in Forbes' article on Nvidia's export strategy in China.

Midland-area tech firms and retailers are rapidly embracing artificial intelligence to enhance operational efficiencies and customer engagement as part of the city's broader tech growth strategy.

Significant investments, including Midland's allocation of a $9.2 million technology fund in 2025 and plans to create eight new IT positions, underline this commitment to AI-driven innovation.

Retail innovators like Liquid Barcodes and Nisqually Markets are deploying AI-powered loyalty and subscription programs that deliver personalized rewards and real-time analytics, transforming traditional points systems into dynamic engagement platforms.

Meanwhile, the City of Midland has launched AI tools such as the AskJacky chatbot, designed to help residents navigate municipal services effortlessly, and the SeeClickFix app, which streamlines the reporting of community issues like potholes directly to city staff with real-time status updates, improving civic responsiveness.

These initiatives complement major regional developments such as the planned 250MW net-zero AI data center by New Era Helium and Sharon AI, positioning Midland as a hub for sustainable AI infrastructure.

This proactive local adoption aligns with broader Texas business trends, where AI use among companies grew from 20% in April 2024 to 36% in May 2025, illustrating AI's expanding role as a strategic advantage in commerce and service delivery.

For businesses and residents alike, Midland's AI integration fosters smarter operations, more personalized customer experiences, and enhanced community interaction, supporting the city's ambition to be a leader in AI-driven technological transformation.

Learn more about these initiatives in the April 2025 Midland technology news roundup, explore the city's tech budget details in the 2025 Midland AI and communications budget report, and discover the impact of AI in retail and community applications in the City of Midland AI tools news coverage.

Northeastern State University (NSU) is significantly expanding its educational offerings in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence to address the rising regional demand for tech professionals.

The College of Business and Technology recently launched a pioneering Bachelor of Science degree in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, blending core business skills with advanced technical training in machine learning, data visualization, and cybersecurity.

This interdisciplinary program, highlighted by Dr. Janet Buzzard, provides students with practical experience through internships and capstone projects, preparing them for high-growth roles in industries such as healthcare, finance, and logistics.

In parallel, NSU is fostering early cybersecurity education with camps for middle school students and a dedicated cybersecurity lab that emphasizes hands-on learning and awareness of escalating cyber threats.

Dr. Stacey White, NSU's cybersecurity program coordinator, underscores the critical need to train professionals capable of navigating today's complex cyber landscape.

NSU's innovative approach aligns with Oklahoma's Blueprint 2030 initiative emphasizing STEM talent development. For more details on NSU's new AI and Data Analytics degree, visit the Northeastern State University College of Business and Technology news page on Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics.

Read further about NSU's efforts to meet growing job demands through expanded cybersecurity and AI programs in the News On 6 feature on NSU cybersecurity and AI programs.

Prospective students can explore NSU's broad program offerings at the official Northeastern State University College of Business and Technology website, which details undergraduate and graduate options designed to equip graduates for leadership in a data-driven economy.

Midland, Texas is rapidly establishing itself as a national leader in AI-driven energy and technology innovation, underscored by significant projects reshaping the regional economy.

New Era Helium's joint venture with Sharon AI has secured a 235-acre site in the Permian Basin for a cutting-edge 250 MW AI data center campus, designed to integrate advanced cooling, energy, and carbon capture technologies as a scalable high-performance computing platform.

This initiative, detailed in a Business Wire release on New Era Helium and Sharon AI's Permian Basin project, represents a strategic fusion of traditional energy assets with AI infrastructure, signaling Midland's evolution beyond its oil and gas roots.

Complementing this, Waste Energy Corp has formalized its flagship waste-to-energy facility in Midland, converting plastic and tire waste into ultra-low sulfur diesel and carbon black, poised to meet booming local fuel demands from oil rigs, as reported in the company's Waste Energy Corp recent press releases.

Further accelerating AI adoption, OPX Ai has expanded its AI-powered Intelligent Operations Center-as-a-Service (IOCaaS) to Midland, enabling real-time analytics and remote operations for Permian Basin producers to boost efficiency and reduce downtime without major capital outlays - a strategic move covered in detail at OPX Ai's announcement of expanded operations in Midland, Texas.

Together, these developments highlight Midland's role as a dynamic hub where AI technologies and sustainable energy convergingly drive operational efficiencies and economic growth.

Aspiring professionals looking to join this transformation can develop market-ready AI and tech skills through Nucamp's comprehensive bootcamps, including specialized programs like the AI Essentials for Work or the Solo AI Tech Entrepreneur path, providing practical knowledge to thrive within Midland's burgeoning tech ecosystem.