The Download: Texas’s fragile AI boom and energy policy shifts

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Texas was the new epicenter of the AI data center buildout. That might be kaput. Texas is the fastest-growing data center market in the US and ground zero for Big Tech’s largest AI buildouts. But the blue wave that swept the Lone Star State may jeopardize that position. Democrat James Talarico won the US Senate seat, Gina Hinojosa won the race for governor, and Democrats will take control of the Texas House for the first time in 24 years. They won after making data centers a central issue on the campaign trail. The swings could spell trouble for hyperscalers with ambitious plans in the state. They also add to growing anxiety that America’s AI buildout could stall. Here’s how the election results could reshape AI’s future. —James O’Donnell What’s next for US energy policy after the midterm elections? Democrats have taken control of both the House and the Senate, but we probably won’t see major federal climate and energy legislation while Trump remains president. The midterm elections could, however, be a big deal for energy at the state and local level. The results could shape everything from the state grid and data center development to renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions. Find out what the midterms could mean for the future of US energy. —Casey Crownhart This story is from The Spark, our weekly climate tech newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday. A new bill could change how the US builds energy infrastructure A sweeping bit of legislation designed to cut red tape could speed up the buildout of energy infrastructure in the US. On November 9, the Senate is set to vote on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA). It’s a plan that could start an overhaul of the slow, complicated process for getting energy projects approved. But some environmental groups oppose the bill, or parts of it. Explore the trade-offs behind America’s proposed permitting overhaul. —Casey Crownhart The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 America’s data center boom has hit a political wall Voters opposed them in 40 of 41 midterm ballot measures. (CNBC) + Six cities voted to ban data centers outright. (404 Media) + Meta says building data centers has just become much harder. (WSJ $) + The midterm results could also boost China’s AI ambitions. (SCMP) + No one wants a data center in their backyard. (MIT Technology Review) 2 Blood banks have become the latest victims of fridge hacks Hackers raised the temperatures at three stores in France. (Guardian) + Alarms alerted staff before any blood products were lost. (CBS) + It’s an escalation after hundreds of supermarket fridge hacks. (CNBC) + Experts are split over who’s behind the attacks. (BBC) 3 Democrats are preparing to investigate Elon Musk His firms have won over $16 billion in government contracts. (NPR) + His unprecedented spending may even have hurt Republicans. (Atlantic $) + Texas’s blue wave has rattled Musk and SpaceX. (Ars Technica) 4 The new Congress could challenge Trump’s science cuts But he can still veto any bills they pass. (Nature) + Trump has already dealt many blows to science. (MIT Technology Review) 5 China is luring AI expertise in while blocking it from leaving It just blocked SoftBank’s bid for ABB Robotics. (WSJ $) + Its chipmakers are poaching engineers from foreign rivals. (CNBC) + A star mathematician has left the US to develop AI in China. (SCMP) 6 Watchdogs have sued over tech titans advising the Pentagon Musk and Palmer Luckey could profit from their advice. (Military.com) 7 New research tests whether AI knows its own “thoughts” It’s trying to map out AI’s capacity for introspection. (Quanta) + AI consciousness debates are a trap. (MIT Technology Review) 8 Astronomers are mystified by little red dots spotted by JWST They could be the first supermassive black holes. (Economist $) 9 Scientists have taken a first step into the zeptoverse A rare particle decay could reveal a world smaller than atoms. (Wired $) 10 A NASA telescope has plunged to earth after 22 years in space Its bristles produce charges that kill bacteria. (NBC News) Quote of the day “The revolt against data centers was one of the top issues of the 2026 election, and in a few years we will look back on it as just the early tremor of a much bigger AI earthquake upending American politics.” —Greg Casar, a Democratic congressman from Texas, tells Wired that the backlash against data centers could herald a much bigger political fight over AI. One more thing Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraine’s drone defense Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov is, at least unofficially, a spy. Once a month, he drives to the frontline in a VW van equipped with radio hardware, roof antennas, and devices that monitor drones. Over several days, he searches the skies for transmissions that can help Ukrainian troops. Drones define this brutal conflict, and most rely on the radio communications Flash has obsessed over since childhood. Though now a civilian, the former officer has taken it upon himself to inform his country’s defense on all matters related to radio. Unlike traditional spies, Flash shares his discoveries with over 127,000 followers—including soldiers and officials—on social media. His work has won fans in the military, but also sparked controversy among the top brass. Read the full story. —Charlie Metcalfe We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) + Mars has a new mystery: cliffs that look nothing like their surroundings. + After a long wait for clear skies, a photographer captured the perfect St Petersburg sunset. + Timor-Leste has eliminated trachoma, making the whole of Southeast Asia free of the blinding disease. + From feasting bald eagles to a northern gannet bursting through the ocean’s surface, these are the year’s best bird photos.