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

This April marked a transformative month for Midland, TX, as the region became a focal point for groundbreaking AI infrastructure and industry realignment. Leading the charge, New Era Helium and Sharon AI finalized plans for a 250MW net-zero AI and HPC data center through their Texas Critical Data Centers (TCDC) joint venture, with construction preparations underway after securing a crucial 120-mile rights-of-way approval from federal regulators.

This facility aims not only for sustainability - with methane-use reduction, carbon capture, and a five-year fixed gas supply agreement - but also for energy stability in one of the world's most important digital growth corridors (Official Sharon AI and New Era Helium 250MW Net-Zero Energy Data Center Joint Venture Announcement).

Industry leaders highlight the environmental impacts and resilience of Midland's expanding digital infrastructure:

“Reducing fugitive methane emissions is critical to our environmental stewardship goals and supports our broader mission to deliver responsibly sourced products,” stated New Era Helium CEO E. Will Gray II in New Era Helium 120 Miles Rights-of-Way Approval Announcement.

Meanwhile, the surge in regional data infrastructure mirrors a global trend, with Texas landing major projects from OpenAI, Oracle, and other giants investing billions in power-hungry, next-generation AI centers (Data Center Knowledge's Coverage of New Data Center Developments in April 2025).

Midland now stands at the intersection of innovation, energy, and sustainable growth, redefining its role in the national tech landscape.

New Era Helium, in partnership with Sharon AI through their Texas Critical Data Centers LLC venture, has launched Phase 1 of a groundbreaking 250MW net-zero AI and high-performance computing facility in Midland, Texas.

The development, now spanning 235 acres thanks to collaboration with Grow Odessa, aims to have the majority of its capacity operational by December 2026 and leverages reciprocating natural gas engines with integrated carbon capture, positioning Midland as a leader in sustainable digital infrastructure.

The project received a significant boost with the approval of 120 miles of Rights-of-Way from the Bureau of Land Management, enabling critical infrastructure updates that will sharply reduce methane emissions - previously equivalent to the yearly CO₂ output of nearly 38,000 vehicles.

As CEO E. Will Gray notes,

“Reducing fugitive methane emissions is critical to our environmental stewardship goals and supports our broader mission to deliver responsibly sourced products.”

Backed by over 1.5 billion cubic feet of helium reserves, the facility's integrated approach advances both responsible gas production and next-gen computing, signaling a major step in Midland's clean energy and tech ambitions.

For further information, see the official announcement of New Era Helium's AI data center joint venture, the latest updates on Rights-of-Way approval and emission reduction efforts, and operational progress as detailed in New Era Helium's facility development update.

Visa is charting a new course for digital payments with the launch of Visa Intelligent Commerce, a comprehensive suite of APIs and tools designed to connect AI agents directly to the payment process.

This initiative enables AI-powered shopping agents to not only research and recommend products but also securely complete transactions on behalf of users - moving the e-commerce journey from search to purchase without leaving the chatbot experience.

Consumers benefit from AI-ready cards that use tokenized credentials and can set detailed spending parameters, while merchants gain reduced fraud and frictionless checkouts.

At the heart of this platform are five core modules: authentication, tokenization, customizable payment instructions, personalization, and real-time signals for risk management, all built on Visa's decades-long expertise in fraud prevention - recently blocking $40 billion in fraud within a year.

Visa's deep collaborations with leading AI innovators such as Anthropic, IBM, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Stripe aim to ensure seamless, secure, and globally scalable commerce experiences.

As Jack Forestell, Visa's Chief Product and Strategy Officer, explained,

“Soon people will have AI agents browse, select, purchase, and manage on their behalf. These agents will need to be trusted with payments, not only by users, but by banks and sellers as well.”

With industry mainstays like Mastercard and PayPal also entering the AI commerce space, Visa's advancements are rapidly redefining retail and payment standards.

To learn more about the technical underpinnings and broader industry vision, explore Visa Intelligent Commerce's features and ecosystem impact and the wider fintech shift to agent-powered shopping as covered in TechCrunch's comparative industry analysis.

Texas is rapidly expanding its use of AI-powered surveillance tools across the state, with funding from initiatives like Governor Greg Abbott's $11 billion Operation Lone Star outpacing efforts to set comprehensive legislative guardrails.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has invested millions in technologies such as facial recognition (Clearview AI), digital forensics (Cellebrite), real-time vehicle tracking (Motorola LEARN and Flock Safety), and social media monitoring platforms, all integrated into a wide-reaching surveillance network designed for border security, criminal investigation, and intelligence gathering according to Texas Standard.

Operation Drawbridge alone deploys over 9,000 cameras collecting 250,000 images per day, which AI now reviews in real time. Despite growing bipartisan concern about Fourth Amendment risks, current proposals for oversight - like House Bill 149 and Senate Bill 1964 - contain weakened language and allow ongoing warrantless surveillance, raising alarm among civil liberties advocates as reported by Biometric Update.

The DPS has also contracted $5.3 million for the Tangles platform, enabling non-warranted cellphone tracking and social media mining, amid calls for accountability and transparency.

Tool	Function	Contract Value
Clearview AI	Facial Recognition	$1.2M (thru 2030)
Tangles	Social/Web Surveillance & Cellphone Tracking	$5.3M (5 years)
Cellebrite	Mobile Forensics	$2.7M (thru 2027)
Motorola LEARN/Flock Safety	License Plate Tracking	$1.5M (5 years)

Privacy watchdogs warn that such a vast, AI-driven surveillance state fundamentally reshapes law enforcement and could have chilling effects on public life.

As one ACLU attorney observed,

“We shouldn't be spending taxpayer money for this kind of haystack of data that they then are trying to pick needles out of, right?”

For a deeper dive on these technologies and the policy debates in Texas, see the full analysis at Texas Observer.

Chevron is making a major commitment to efficiency in the Permian Basin by scaling up its innovative "triple-frac" well completion technique, which fractures three wells simultaneously and is set to be used on 50–60% of its Permian wells in 2025, up from just 20% last year.

This move is designed to reduce well completion times by 25% and lower per-well costs by 12%, even as it intensifies the daily demand for sand, water, and energy - requiring 60% more water and sand and 50% more daily power than single-well fracs, as detailed in Oklahoma Minerals report on Chevron's triple-frac technique.

The company's shift to triple-frac also coincides with its reduced capital expenditures for 2025, from $6–$7 billion to $4.5–$5 billion, focusing on operational efficiency and a planned 10% production boost in an era of softer crude prices, as reported by Nasdaq's analysis of Chevron's 2025 strategy.

Industry experts note that while the total resource use per well remains the same, the intensity of the operation poses significant logistics and supply chain challenges - over 10 sand trucks per hour are needed at the site during peak operations.

As Jeff Newhook, Chevron's completions operations manager, put it:

“Triple-frac can complete wells 25% faster and reduce cost per well by 12%... Finishing wells faster offers a competitive advantage.”

For a concise summary, see the technical gains and logistics below.

Metric	Triple-Frac Impact
Completion Time	25% faster
Cost per Well	12% lower
Water & Sand Use (Daily)	60% higher
Power Consumption (Daily)	50% higher

With these bold steps, Chevron is positioning itself at the forefront of operational innovation in West Texas - read more on the competitive and logistical implications at OilGasLeads coverage of Chevron's triple-frac innovation.

The tech industry's ongoing transformation is accelerating workforce upheaval at a historic scale in 2025, as AI and automation fundamentally reshape job markets.

According to the latest industry figures on 2025 tech layoffs, over 51,000 tech jobs have been cut across 112 companies since January, with nearly half of those - 23,486 - occurring in April alone.

Leading companies like Intel, Meta, and Google are among the largest contributors, citing the need to pivot towards AI-driven strategies and cost optimization.

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 on AI impact reveals that 40% of employers expect to reduce their workforce where AI can automate tasks, while AI-powered tools threaten to automate more than half of tasks in key white-collar roles such as market research analysts and sales representatives.

At the same time, companies like Salesforce and Microsoft are strategically combining layoffs in legacy areas with fresh hiring in AI-focused domains, highlighting a shift towards upskilling and redeployment rather than mass unemployment.

The impacts extend across industries, with e-commerce firms like HelloFresh and Wayfair, global giants like Siemens and HPE, and even government agencies implementing layoffs or restructuring.

Below is a snapshot of notable layoffs in 2025:

Company	Layoff Number/Percentage	Key Notes
Intel	21,000+	Major restructuring
Meta	~3,600 (5%)	Efficiency drive, low performers
Google	Hundreds	Platform and devices division
HelloFresh	273	Texas operations consolidation
HPE	2,500 (5%)	Global cost-reduction
Wayfair	340	Tech division cuts

Yet, experts urge a balanced perspective on this disruptive trend.

As Steven J. Davis of the Hoover Institution noted, AI's adoption is “multifaceted - some jobs displaced, others created, consistent with past technological shifts,” and adaptation through upskilling and gradual organizational evolution can help minimize lasting harm.

For a comprehensive breakdown of major layoff events and further expert commentary, visit TechCrunch's detailed 2025 tech layoffs tracker and analysis.

Retailers across Midland and beyond are accelerating their digital transformation by deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to create smarter, more seamless shopping experiences.

Companies like Liquid Barcodes are leading the way, enabling convenience retailers to operate gamified loyalty and subscription programs that maximize customer engagement and retention.

The upcoming launch of Nisqually Markets' loyalty mobile application, powered by Liquid Barcodes, reflects this trend by offering personalized rewards, real-time analytics, and an intuitive, user-friendly interface that encourages repeat visits and deeper customer loyalty (Nisqually Markets to Release Loyalty Mobile App and Customer Rewards Programs).

On the operational side, platforms like Lula Commerce are introducing AI-powered agents that automate everything from review management to financial reconciliation, ensuring efficiency even as retail complexity grows.

As highlighted in recent industry analysis, these innovations represent a shift from simple points programs to dynamic ecosystems where agentic AI delivers real-time, individually tailored offers and helps transform everyday consumers into passionate brand fans.

As Sam Roark, Director of Nisqually Markets, put it:

“We are confident this collaboration will enhance customer satisfaction and drive business growth and innovation. We look forward to witnessing the positive impact of this loyalty program and are excited about the future possibilities for Nisqually Markets.”

Retailers ready to embrace such AI-driven loyalty programs are poised to thrive in the competitive landscape of 2025, fostering inclusive communities and lasting brand connections.

This month, Texas becomes a national flashpoint in the debate over AI “bias” and “woke” technology regulation. With a new wave of proposals like the Texas Responsible AI Governance Act and House Bill 149, lawmakers are grappling with striking a balance between transparency, civil liberties, and the risk of overregulation.

Major bills introduce wide-ranging frameworks - adding regulatory oversight, creating an AI Council, and enforcing strict privacy controls - but critics warn these steps could lead to higher costs, new bureaucracies, and stifled innovation, especially for startups and open-source developers.

At the federal level, amplified by the Trump administration's rollback of Biden-era equity policies and congressional scrutiny, the focus has shifted from algorithmic discrimination to rooting out “ideological bias,” with Vice President JD Vance promising, “The Trump administration will ensure that AI systems developed in America are free from ideological bias and never restrict our citizens' right to free speech.” As Ellis Monk, creator of the Monk Skin Tone Scale used to make AI more inclusive, put it,

“Google wants their products to work for everybody, in India, China, Africa, et cetera. That part is kind of DEI-immune. But could future funding for those kinds of projects be lowered? Absolutely.”

Meanwhile, the Texas House advances legislation requiring more transparency in political ads as concern rises over deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation.

The divide is also financial - proposed AI governance could cost Texas taxpayers tens of millions annually and add dozens of new state employees, as detailed by Texas Policy Research's overview of state AI legislation.

As Senate investigations into nonprofit lobbying for “woke” AI regulation heat up, Texas stands at a crossroads - whether to set a robust but innovation-friendly national standard or risk driving AI-businesses elsewhere.

For further analysis, see the Associated Press's in-depth report on how federal policy is shaping the AI bias debate, and track legislative details in the Global Policy Watch review of Texas 2025 AI legislation.

Recent Trump administration tariffs threaten to disrupt Texas' efforts to stabilize its crucial power grid at a time of surging energy demand, fueled in part by the rapid growth of AI data centers and industrial electrification.

Industry leaders at the TCU Global Energy Symposium noted that while data centers increasingly depend on natural gas and local grid capacity, tariffs - including China's new 15% duty on U.S. liquified natural gas - inject uncertainty and policy risk that could dampen both profits and infrastructure investment.

Read more in the Fort Worth Report on the Impact of Tariffs on Energy Markets.

As peak Texas grid demand is forecast to approach supply by 2026-2027, experts caution that slower infrastructure upgrades - already delayed by multi-year interconnection wait times - could make the state more vulnerable to outages, especially with tariffs driving up costs for essential battery storage and grid components.

For further analysis, visit NATiVE Solar's Texas Power Grid Analysis for 2025.

The Trade Partnership Worldwide estimates tariffs could cost Texas businesses $47 billion, fueling concerns that economic and energy progress may stall without coordinated action.

More details at the Texas Tribune's report on Tariffs Creating Uncertainty.

“Global and U.S. natural gas demand hit record highs last year; projected to grow by 1.8% in 2025,” said Dean Foreman, Chief Economist for the Texas Oil & Gas Association, highlighting the stakes as policy uncertainty collides with record demand.

Key Grid Metrics	Value (2025/6)
Peak Load Record	85,508 MW (2023)
Max Generation Capacity (2025)	152 GW
Transmission Capacity	96 GW
Natural Gas Export	15.3–18 Bcf/day
Tariff Impact on Businesses	$47B estimated loss

New Era Helium is rapidly accelerating its vertical integration strategy, positioning Midland as a crucial tech and energy hub through a unique blend of helium resource development and AI infrastructure investment.

The company's joint venture, Texas Critical Data Centers (TCDC), is spearheading a landmark 250MW net-zero AI and high-performance computing data center in Ector County, leveraging New Era Helium's abundant natural gas and specialty helium reserves.

With over 137,000 acres and 1.5 billion cubic feet of proved and probable helium, New Era Helium aims to address U.S. supply chain vulnerabilities in semiconductor manufacturing and meet soaring energy demands from AI and HPC. According to a strategic update,

“Helium is critical for semiconductor chip fabrication, GPU cooling, and quantum computing,”

and the company's Pecos Slope Field is expected to provide ~70+ MW of power for 20+ years - enough to energize up to 80,000 homes and directly support data center operations.

Asset/Project	Capacity/Reserves	Status
Pecos Slope Field (NG Power)	~70+ MW for 20+ yrs	Plant ops Q4 2025
AI/HPC Data Center	250MW (100MW by Dec 2026)	In development
Helium Reserves	1.5B cubic feet (proved/probable)	Ongoing development

The company's vision was summed up by CEO E. Will Gray II in a recent interview:

“We are at a pivotal moment in New Era Helium's growth, where our vision for next-generation energy solutions is becoming a reality. Instead of simply selling our natural gas into the pipeline, we are planning on maximizing its value by creating behind-the-meter power to fuel the AI-driven economy.”

For more details, read the official operational update from New Era Helium and the full strategic plan for AI and semiconductor integration by New Era Helium.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a cornerstone across Texas government and industry, with more than a third of state agencies already using AI and new legislation shaping its responsible deployment.

Texas recently established both an Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council and a House Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies to steer policy, monitor applications, and address risks like privacy, discrimination, and misinformation.

The Texas Responsible AI Governance Act, under consideration this session, aims to regulate “high-risk” AI - especially in employment, insurance, and consumer protection - requiring robust human oversight, bias audits, and clear disclosure for consequential decisions, as detailed in the Act's employer guidelines.

These efforts align with state and nationwide legislative trends - over 550 AI-related bills were introduced in 2025, targeting transparency, education, and restricting AI in sensitive areas such as health claims and elections.

Recent findings emphasize balancing innovation with “comprehensive regulations addressing ethical, legal, and social AI implications,” and call for cross-sector collaboration.

As Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan remarked,

“The revolutionary opportunities presented by artificial intelligence need to be fully considered alongside the challenges it poses, including privacy concerns and the spread of disinformation.”

For a comparative look at key legislative actions in 2025, see the table below summarizing major AI bills and their focus areas across Texas and other leading states.

For more legislative background, see the National Conference of State Legislatures AI 2025 summary.

State	Key AI Legislation	Main Focus
Texas	Responsible AI Governance Act, SB 815	Employment, health insurance, workforce oversight, transparency
Colorado	Comprehensive AI Regulation	Consumer protection, safety, algorithmic discrimination
Virginia	High-Risk AI Developer & Deployer Act	Regulation of high-risk AI systems, elections

Midland is quickly emerging as a pivotal player in the national AI and technology movement, with bold investments and visionary local leadership setting the stage for transformative growth.

The city's proposed 2025 budget allocates $9.2 million to expand artificial intelligence and communications infrastructure, along with eight new IT positions, marking a substantial commitment to digital innovation and resource efficiency Midland's AI and communications tech initiative.

This local momentum aligns with broader regional and national trends: Texas is now the Silicon Valley of the South, and tech jobs in the state have grown at twice the rate of other sectors in the past decade, attracting major investments from the likes of Tesla and Apple while offering a lower cost of living for tech professionals Texas's rise as a technology hub.

The Department of Energy is fueling this expansion by making 16 federal sites - including potentially those accessible to Midland - available for AI-ready data center development, a move set to open unprecedented opportunities for local industry, energy integration, and workforce development DOE's data center site program.

As regional leaders such as John and Paige Bick invest in educational infrastructure and scholarships to build a skilled pipeline for these new opportunities, Midland is not just adapting to, but actively shaping, the future of AI, advanced construction engineering, and sustainable technology for Texas and beyond.