Local Florida

New Bill Creates a Statewide Framework for Data Center Growth and Oversight Florida lawmakers have approved a new regulatory framework for data centers, signaling that the state intends to compete more aggressively in the race for artificial intelligence infrastructure. The legislation, SB 484, has now passed the Legislature and heads to Governor Ron DeSantis’ desk. The bill aims to create a statewide framework for large-scale data centers — the facilities that power cloud co

⚡ Agentic AI Takes Center Stage at FSU Florida State University’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Expo (AIMLx26), taking place Feb. 27–28, 2026, will convene leading researchers, industry engineers, and educators to examine the accelerating rise of agentic AI — autonomous systems capable of adapting and acting with minimal human intervention. The two-day event will spotlight multi-agent systems, large language model–based agents, decentralized and agentic we

Florida lawmakers are moving forward with legislation that would create Florida’s first top-down framework for how artificial intelligence instructional tools are used in K–12 education. The proposal adds new requirements for parent notice, opt-out, and vendor accountability as AI tools rapidly enter classrooms. Florida AI Bill of Rights for schools would set statewide guardrails for instructional AI tools, centered on transparency and parent choice. The measure reflects a br

A pro-AI super PAC backed by major technology figures is preparing a roughly $5 million advertising push to support Rep. Byron Donalds’ run for Florida governor. The move signals the Florida AI policy battle is escalating — where regulation, politics, and capital are colliding. 💰 The Investment 🏛️ $5M Ad Campaign Super PAC Leading the Future plans major media reservations totaling about $5 million. 🤖 Backed by AI Heavyweights Funding is linked to prominent tech and venture

Florida isn’t trying to slow artificial intelligence. It’s trying to make sure everyday families don’t end up paying for it. In a widely read column for Florida Politics, Mark McNees argues the state is emerging as a national model for how to regulate the explosion of data centers — without choking off innovation. At the center of the debate: Florida Bill 484, sponsored by Sen. Bryan Ávila, which targets the massive energy and water demands of hyperscale facilities powering c

Researchers at University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are deploying drones and artificial intelligence to detect early blight in celery — a high-value winter crop in Florida. The initiative was reported by FOX 13 Tampa Bay and could reshape how farmers protect fields across the state. Florida AI agriculture is moving from experimentation to field deployment, using drones and machine learning to catch crop disease earlier and treat more precisely. ⚙️

Florida lawmakers just moved forward on sweeping new artificial-intelligence safeguards — and the debate is already invoking Hollywood-level warnings. A proposal backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, often referred to as Florida’s AI Bill of Rights, unanimously cleared its first Senate committee this week. The 23-page measure aims to strengthen protections for children, consumers, and government systems as AI spreads rapidly into daily life. 📜 What Florida AI Protections Would Do The

A major tech industry group is opposing Florida’s proposed “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights,” warning that the legislation could create a broad, unclear regulatory framework that may chill innovation and conflict with emerging federal and international approaches. This Florida AI Bill of Rights pushback centers on concerns that the bill’s definitions and requirements could sweep too widely and create compliance uncertainty. The proposal—filed as SB 482 in the Senate an

A Florida family has reached a settlement in a wrongful-death case involving an AI chatbot platform and Google, following the 2024 suicide of a 14-year-old boy. The Google and Character.AI lawsuit is one of the first major legal actions in the U.S. to directly link AI companion technology to youth mental health harm. While the settlement terms were not disclosed, the case has already had wide-reaching implications for how AI systems are designed, deployed, and regulated—espec

Florida lawmakers are moving to curb a growing fear in modern insurance: that claims can be denied or payouts reduced based on automated output rather than accountable human judgment. A proposed measure would require human review of insurance claim denials, allowing insurers to use AI and algorithms to assist — but not as the sole basis for denying a claim or cutting payment. 🔍 What’s Happening With Human Review of Insurance Claim Denials Under the proposal, insurers and rel

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is emerging as one of the most vocal political opponents of unchecked artificial intelligence — and not for cultural reasons. His concern isn’t “wokeness.” It’s scale, power, labor disruption, and control. And in 2026, that puts him on a collision course with both Big Tech and key voices inside his own party. ⚠️ What the DeSantis AI Skeptic Argument Is Really About DeSantis’ warning isn’t subtle: he argues AI is moving faster than society and law can

🤖 What’s Happening Artificial intelligence is becoming a major focus in Florida’s Capitol as lawmakers prepare for the 2026 legislative session. State leaders are weighing how to protect Floridians while navigating growing tension with the federal government over who should regulate AI. Governor Ron DeSantis is pushing a proposed Florida AI Bill of Rights, even as President Donald Trump has signed an executive order signaling federal pushback against state-level AI regulatio

🚧 What’s New — UF AI Hub for Agriculture The University of Florida has broken ground on a $30 million Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence and Agriculture at its Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Hillsborough County — designed to pioneer breakthroughs in AI, robotics, and automation for Florida’s specialty crops. 📈 Key Details The 40,000-square-foot facility is slated to open in early 2027. Funded through a $30 million state investment with addition

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is sharpening his stance against the unintended consequences of AI — this time warning that data centers could...

📢 The Big Reveal Florida State University is the first R1 institution in Florida to join the Google AI for Education Accelerator, part...

Florida Virtual School, the University of Florida, and the Concord Consortium are rolling out a new “AI in Math” program that blends...

Florida welcomed a record 34.4 million visitors this summer, underscoring the state’s role as a global hub for tourism, entertainment,...

From blueprint-mapping robots to four-legged robo-dogs, Suffolk Construction company is using AI to make building projects in Florida...

Artificial intelligence is racing ahead — and Florida Bar leaders are working just as quickly to balance its promise with its risks. At a...

Dentistry AI as a Catalyst for Critical Thinking in Dental Education At the University of Florida College of Dentistry (UFCD), artificial...