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AI and Florida - How it will impact you

Let’s talk about “Artificial Intelligence.” Not the sci-fi robots. Not Hollywood stuff. I mean the very real systems quietly reshaping Florida’s economy, draining our natural resources, automating away jobs, and creeping into classrooms—all with little to no public input.


AI is not just a concept for the future; it is already present. AI Data Centers are currently under construction in real locations such as South Florida, Gainesville, and Miami-Dade. Without collective organization, corporations and politicians will determine their influence on our lives. In this blog post, we will explore what AI data centers are, their functions, and their impact on the planet and our daily lives.



This is a call to action, not a call to panic. Read on. Get informed. Speak up. Our communities deserve better than backroom deals and unchecked tech.



What AI Really Is — And Isn’t

Let’s clear this up:

  • AI is not consciousness. It’s complex code trained on huge amounts of data. It finds patterns, generates predictions, creates text, video, and images—but it doesn’t understand or empathize.

  • It takes enormous computing power. That means huge energy bills, water for cooling, new data centers, and environmental consequences we’re not being told about.

  • It’s being used by corporations to cut costs. That often means cutting jobs, services, and corners.

  • AI isn’t neutral. It reflects the values of the people who design and deploy it—unless we demand a say in how it’s governed.



The Environmental Cost of AI in Florida

Florida’s fragile environment is already under pressure. AI threatens to make it worse—unless we act now.

Water Waste

AI data centers use 5 million gallons of water per day. To understand how much water that is, a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people uses that much water a day. On average, a medium-sized data center will use 110 million gallons of water per year, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute.


Power-Hungry Giants

AI data centers consume large amounts of electricity and cause strains on our current outdated power system in the United States. It's predicted that by 2030, we expect them to use about 945 terawatt-hours (TWh), which is a little more than what Japan uses today, according to the IEA. And who pays for the power put into these large data centers that are owned by big corporations like Facebook Meta? In Wisconsin, they got approval to put one in for $1.2 and $280 million, and the cost will be added to the customers' electricity bills, so you, as a normal person using a normal amount of electricity, could be paying for a big corporation's data center to function (The Equation).




Data Centers in Florida: What’s Happening Right Now

Florida is already being scouted—and built out—as a hub for AI data centers.

Company / Project

Location

Status

Key Impacts

Elektros / Next Realm AI

South Florida

In planning

Acquiring land to build AI data centers + lithium battery manufacturing. Huge energy and land-use implications.

Duke Energy Florida

Statewide (utility areas)

Preparing

Asking state regulators for new rate classes to accommodate large AI data center electricity needs—so costs don’t hit regular people.

Iron Mountain – MIA‑1

Miami-Dade

Construction

New 16 MW data center—small for now, but part of bigger trend.

OpenAI / Stargate Project

Florida (under consideration)

TBD

Florida is on the short list for a massive “AI campus.” This would have huge environmental and energy impacts.

We are on the map. And most Floridians don’t even know it’s happening.



AI Is Already Reshaping Florida’s Job Market

AI and automation are already replacing jobs in Florida—not just “low-skill” ones:

  • Call centers and customer service teams are being replaced by chatbots.

  • Administrative assistants and clerical jobs are vanishing in hospitals and schools.

  • Local journalism and content creation are being eaten up by AI-written copy.

  • Even agriculture is shifting, with AI being used to monitor fields and crops—sometimes helpful, but often meaning fewer hands on deck.

In rural and working-class communities, tech is moving faster than support systems. Training programs are underfunded, and bills that could help have been blocked or vetoed.

Example: In 2025, Governor DeSantis vetoed HB 827, a bipartisan bill that would’ve required Florida to study how AI affects jobs. No study. No plan. Just business as usual.



Schools and Students Are Left in the Dark

AI is flooding into classrooms—with zero public debate and barely any support for teachers or students:

  • Teachers are expected to monitor AI cheating, use new tools, and prepare students for an AI-driven world—with no state-provided training.

  • Private companies are selling AI tools to schools without disclosing what data is being collected on our kids.

  • Low-income and rural schools are being left behind again, as AI tools deepen the digital divide.

Florida students deserve real education about AI, not just exposure to it.



Want to Take Action? Start Local.


Here’s how you can begin pushing back—right now.



1. Call, Email, or Direct Message Your Representatives (State House & Senate)

Use this script when you email, call, or direct message your representatives:


“Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent in [City/ZIP]. I’m calling to urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to support legislation that regulates artificial intelligence—especially in the areas of job protections, environmental impact, and education.

I support bills like HB 827, which would study AI’s effects on Florida’s workforce, and I want strong regulations on AI data centers to protect our water, energy grid, and public schools.

I also want to see transparency in how AI is used in classrooms and political ads.

Please work for the people of Florida—not just the tech lobby.”




3. Research Your Local Area

Look into these questions for your county or city:

●       Are there proposed data centers nearby?

●       Is your utility company like FPL or Duke Energy involved in AI infrastructure?

●       What zoning changes are being proposed to allow large tech facilities?

●       Are local water boards or city councils reviewing environmental impact?

●       What training or job programs exist locally for workers affected by automation?



4. Organize a Community Forum

Host a conversation at your local library, campus, or community center. Invite educators, workers, environmentalists, and tech workers. Share this article. Build connections.


A grassroots movement opposing data centers, along with a nonpartisan research and news resource. They cover those resisting data centers and additional topics.




Reference & Resource Sheet

Key Articles & Sources





 


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