Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who on November 14 praised Google’s plan to spend $40 billion on AI and data centers in Midlothian, declaring Texas “the epicenter of AI development,” has since reversed his stance. This week, during a speech in Bullard, Abbott announced he would pursue a ban on data centers in rural communities, stating, “We must prohibit them from building AI data centers in rural Texas neighborhoods.” He added that any AI data center must “bring their own money, bring their own power, reuse their own water” and that “we must eliminate the tax break they are getting.” Abbott’s about-face reflects a growing backlash against Big Tech and AI. Last month, county commissioners in Hays County voted unanimously to approve a moratorium on data center projects until the end of this year. Also last month, a planning commission in Hamilton, Ontario, rejected a data center project after opponents packed the public gallery, and on a single day last month, three counties in Florida issued moratoria on data centers.