In a recent meeting with energy executives, the Governor correctly pointed out how energy independence is not only central to supporting our national security and reducing reliance on foreign sources of energy, but it is also critical to achieving many of the goals President Trump has for our state and the nation, from increasing American manufacturing to winning the Artificial Intelligence (AI) race.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) has proudly been on the front lines of the fight to unleash Mississippi and American energy in recent years. Right before President Trump’s inauguration in January, API joined Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch and four other states to challenge a last-minute order from the outgoing Biden Administration prohibiting oil and gas development across millions of acres of federal waters in the Gulf of America. President Trump continues to follow through on his promises to support our ability to drill offshore and allow our state’s leaders to reach our energy potential.
New economic site development projects, manufacturing facilities, and AI data centers all have one thing in common – they require massive amounts of energy and will require even more in the coming years. In no other sector is this more important than AI technology, with major companies like Amazon and Compass Datacenters establishing hyperscale data centers in Madison County and Lauderdale County – with the potential for more to come online.
AI runs on “hyperscale” data centers that consume enormous amounts of power, making Mississippi’s energy security and ability to independently produce energy more important now than ever before. According to McKinsey and Company, the power needs of AI data centers are expected to surge roughly three-fold by the end of the decade, and there is growing concern about the baseload power needs of AI requiring 24/7 electricity.
Natural gas, which is cleaner-burning and cost-efficient, is a reliable source to sustain the baseload power source needs of AI and other technologies into the future. Thankfully, we have access to an abundant supply of natural gas in the United States. We are also one of the few states with large underground salt caverns capable of storing natural gas, which helps to ensure grid reliability during high demand.
It’s heartening to see Mississippi’s leadership not only taking the energy needs of AI seriously but also recognizing its transformative capabilities for the future of the state. Recently, the Legislature passed and Governor Tate Reeves signed into law, SB2426, creating the Artificial Intelligence Regulation (AIR) Task Force. According to Representative Jill Ford, the task force will explore how Mississippians, businesses, and communities can take advantage of this powerful technology. SuperTalk Mississippi Host and CEO of Venture Technologies Gerard Gibert is also a member of this Task Force, and I greatly enjoyed speaking with him recently about the rapid pace at which Mississippi is becoming a leader in AI technology.
Finally, it’s important to note our industry’s efforts to keep environmental and health impacts top of mind as we work to unleash our energy and AI potential. We remain committed to deploying Carbon, Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technologies, which capture emissions and geologically store them safely and securely deep underground. We also continue to enhance safety protocols and best practices for these technologies.
With the right leadership in place at the state and federal level, there is no doubt that Mississippi is shaping America’s path forward in securing U.S. Energy and AI dominance.
Gifford Briggs is the Gulf Coast Region Director for the American Petroleum Institute (API).
