Data Centers and the Cost of AI

Florida's New Rules and the Legal Questions Behind the AI Infrastructure Boom

Artificial intelligence depends on infrastructure that is anything but virtual.

The rapid growth of generative AI and other computational technologies has driven investment in data centers that require substantial amounts of electricity, water, land, telecommunications infrastructure, and other resources. As development accelerates, governments, utilities, developers, and communities are confronting questions that extend beyond technology policy: Who pays for the infrastructure required to serve large data centers? What authority does a local government retain? How should water use be regulated? And what information concerning proposed projects must be disclosed? Florida addressed many of these questions during the 2026 Legislative Session.