IntoTexas AI Podcast

AI cameras are no longer just recording devices. They are becoming part of a fast-growing market in computer vision, video analytics, public safety technology, industrial automation, and smart infrastructure. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks at the recent report on Flock cameras across DFW, including automated license plate readers mapped in Tarrant County. She also explores a...

As America celebrates 250 years of independence, this episode looks at a different kind of freedom: the freedom to build. SpaceX’s historic IPO made headlines for its size, investor demand, and the wealth it created. But the bigger story may be what SpaceX had already launched long before going public: a new generation of start-up founders. Former SpaceX employees have gone on to build startups in...

A new Texas Business Court ruling is raising an important question: when a non-attorney uses ChatGPT to prepare for litigation, can those AI prompts and responses be protected from discovery? In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks at the Texas ruling and what it says — and does not say — about ChatGPT, attorney-client privilege, and protected work product. The episode also explores t...

In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks at why Coherent’s factory expansion in Sherman, Texas could help boost the regional economy with high-paying skilled labor jobs. Backed by NVIDIA’s $2 billion investment and tied to U.S. CHIPS Act funding, the Sherman facility will support advanced optical technologies used in next-generation AI data centers. But this story is bigger than chips,...

This week on IntoTexas AI , we go beyond the headlines to look at several AI stories shaping Texas — from data centers and power demand to public-sector technology, cybersecurity, legal risk, healthcare, and workforce adoption. In this episode, Shannon Belew covers Governor Abbott’s push for new data center oversight, ERCOT’s new large-load framework, Meta and RWE’s North Texas solar agreement, Ty...

Robot dogs may be getting the attention at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but they are only one piece of a much bigger security story wrapped in AI. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks at how physical AI is entering real-world security — from Boston Dynamics Spot robots tied to FIFA’s International Broadcast Centre in Dallas, to drone restrictions around Dallas Stadium and Fan Fest, to...

AI and security are usually framed as a cybersecurity conversation. But in this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks at a different side of the story: physical security. From alarms and cameras to crowd management and emergency response, the real challenge is not simply detecting that something happened. It is verifying the incident, coordinating the right response, and getting help on the...

The biggest AI story isn't always the one getting the biggest headline. This week, Shannon Belew looks beyond the usual announcements to explore the stories that reveal how AI is being applied across Texas—from construction sites and autonomous ships to insurance and the FIFA World Cup. Featured topics include: • AI enters the construction industry through a major partnership involving McCarthy Bu...

New research from Microsoft highlights a growing urban-rural divide in AI adoption. At the same time, Anthropic's AI Fluency research suggests that access to AI is only part of the equation. In this episode, Shannon Belew explores what these trends mean for Texas—and why the state's growing investment in AI infrastructure may create a unique opportunity for rural communities. The conversation intr...

A new survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reveals that artificial intelligence adoption is accelerating across Texas businesses—and the results challenge many of the assumptions dominating the AI conversation. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, host Shannon Belew breaks down the latest findings from the Texas Business Outlook Survey and explores what they tell us about AI adoption, produc...

This week on IntoTexas AI, we're looking at the biggest artificial intelligence stories impacting Texas from May 25 through May 29, 2026. From Dell's explosive AI-driven growth to a breakthrough healthcare application at Baylor College of Medicine, this week's headlines show that Texas is playing a growing role across every layer of the AI economy. This week on IntoTexas AI, we break down the top...

What happens when one of America's most recognizable environmental advocates turns her attention to AI infrastructure? In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew explores Erin Brockovich's new crowdsourced data center mapping initiative and why it matters to Texas. Texas has become one of the nation's leading destinations for AI infrastructure investment, with major projects emerging across Da...

Artificial intelligence is no longer just changing how we work — it’s beginning to reshape how workers negotiate for protection. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew examines the growing movement toward AI-related labor protections after employees at The Texas Tribune secured contractual safeguards against layoffs caused by artificial intelligence. But this story goes far beyond journali...

Long before ChatGPT, AI copilots, and massive data centers transformed Texas, the foundation for today’s AI economy was already being built. In this retro episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew takes a deep look back at the technology revolution of the 1980s and explores how companies like Compaq, Texas Instruments, Dell, and Sematech helped turn Texas into one of the most important technology sta...

Can artificial intelligence transform infrastructure engineering—and what does that mean for the next generation of graduates? In this episode of IntoTexas AI, we examine how Dallas-based AECOM and Southern Methodist University are partnering to train engineers who can work alongside AI to design and build the world’s most important infrastructure projects. We also explore AECOM’s broader AI strat...

Texas continues to emerge as one of the most important AI hubs in the United States. In this week’s IntoTexas AI news roundup, Shannon Belew recaps the biggest and most interesting stories shaping the future of artificial intelligence in Texas this week. In this episode: $867 million manufacturing investment in Fort Worth Hill County tables new data center growth Red Oak greenlights growth despite...

A humanoid robot named Stewie bought a ticket, buckled into a window seat, and flew on a Southwest Airlines flight to Dallas. Two days later, the airline banned all human-like and animal-like robots from both cabins and checked baggage. What happened—and what does it reveal about the future of artificial intelligence? In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew explores the remarkable story inv...

Texas is entering a new phase in autonomous vehicle deployment — one defined not just by innovation, but by regulation, accountability, and real-world performance. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, host Shannon Belew breaks down what the state’s new authorization requirements mean for companies operating robotaxis, delivery fleets, and autonomous trucking across Texas. From new oversight by the Tex...

Texas is rapidly becoming one of the most important AI infrastructure battlegrounds in America — and this week’s headlines made that impossible to ignore. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, host Shannon Belew breaks down five of the biggest AI stories shaping Texas during the week of May 4, 2026. This week’s roundup explores: Meta’s reported $13 billion financing package tied to a massive AI-focused...

A major cybersecurity breach involving the Canvas learning platform may have exposed nearly four terabytes of student and university data — including institutions in Texas. But this story may be about more than cybersecurity. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew explores the idea that universities are becoming AI-era data platforms and why student behavioral data could become one of the...

Houston ISD is launching an ambitious AI-focused public school initiative— and it could reshape how students learn in the AI era. In this episode of IntoTexas AI , Shannon Belew explores Houston ISD’s new “Future 2” schools, a public education model designed around AI literacy, leadership, critical thinking, collaboration, and future workforce readiness. The episode also compares Houston’s public-...

What separates organizations that are thriving with AI from those still struggling to see results? In this episode of IntoTexas AI , Shannon Belew explores groundbreaking new research from The University of Texas at Austin and KPMG examining how employees actually use AI inside organizations — and why only a small percentage of workers generate outsized value from AI systems. The findings challeng...

This week on IntoTexas AI , we take a look at news headlines and break down how Texas is rapidly evolving from an AI adopter into an AI builder. From a $20.9M semiconductor grant awarded to Applied Optoelectronics in Sugar Land, to new incentives for Nvidia in Irving, the state is making strategic bets across the AI infrastructure stack. We also explore: What a paused Waymo robotaxi rollout reveal...

AI in healthcare is no longer experimental—it’s becoming a partner for the clinician and addressing patient care. And Texas is emerging as an important proving ground. In this episode of IntoTexas AI , we break down the significance of Dallas-based Spectral AI winning the Small Business Innovator Award at the Texas Innovation Conference—and why it signals a much bigger shift happening across the s...

As the 2026 NFL Draft wraps, there’s a new voice shaping decisions inside team picks —not a scout, coach, or GM… but artificial intelligence. In this bonus episode of the IntoTexas AI podcast, Shannon Belew breaks down how the National Football League is using AI to evaluate players, simulate draft scenarios, and gain a competitive edge—and why that’s only part of the story. Because while headline...