The Hot Seat: Emerging technologies, AI, and data centers

In this edition of the "Hot Seat," political analyst Scott Mitchell and Jay Shidler with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce discuss emerging technologies.

Emerging technologies, like data centers and artificial intelligence (AI), are part of Oklahoma’s plan to expand the economy and attract high-tech investments, according to Shidler.

Shidler said the state’s central location, abundant energy resources, and growing workforce make it competitive for companies looking to expand.

"Geographically, where we're located in the United States gives us an advantage,” Shidler said. “Our resources that we have here in the state in terms of availability of power and our power grid, and the natural resources, natural gas, that [we] take to actually energize some of these data centers really can puts us at a competitive advantage against other states out there."

Shidler said the state receives five to seven calls a week from companies interested in developing data centers or investing in emerging technologies in Oklahoma. Many of these firms are drawn to the state’s surplus power production and rural development opportunities.

“We produce 65% more power than we consume, and a lot of that is wind energy,” he said. “A lot of the data centers go into rural communities and smaller communities, and so I think that we definitely have the toolkit to help attract these large-scale projects."

Shidler also discussed legislative efforts aimed at supporting "behind-the-meter" power generation, allowing companies to independently power their operations without relying on regulated utility providers. He called this an attractive option for data centers that need large, stable energy sources to operate.

What is a data center?

Shidler described data centers as highly energy-intensive facilities, sometimes consuming between 100 megawatts and one gigawatt of power. Inside, they house rows of servers used to run applications, store data and support online services.

"Think of it as a centralized location of where traffic flows in and out to consumers that are consuming that content," he said.

Beyond AI: What else is Oklahoma recruiting?

In addition to AI, Shidler said Oklahoma is also attracting interest in advanced manufacturing and digital cloning technologies that require significant computing power. Companies use these tools to simulate products before investing in full production, particularly in industries like automotive and biotech.

Preparing the workforce

Shidler said Oklahoma’s higher education institutions and career tech system are helping develop the skilled workforce needed to support emerging technologies.

"I believe that we are on the career path progression for really lining up our education platforms to meet the demands for employers to come here to fill those roles and responsibilities within those jobs," he said.

Looking ahead

Shidler said the momentum around tech investment in Oklahoma is not a passing trend.

He added that foreign investment is on the rise, and the state aims to strengthen its role in global commerce.

“We want to bring the world to Oklahoma, and take Oklahoma to the world,” he said