AUSTIN, Texas — The ACL Moody Theater, more accustomed to hosting live music, became a hub for discussions about the future of artificial intelligence in Texas. The “TexAI” conference brought together leading minds in tech and innovation to explore how the state can harness the power of AI while addressing potential challenges.
“It’s an interesting juxtaposition to be talking about the live music capital of the world, Austin, and something everyone is talking about globally: AI,” said Crayton Webb, President of the Texas Lyceum, which hosted the event. The non-partisan, non-profit organization aims to facilitate civil discourse on critical issues. For AI, that means understanding how to integrate the technology, unleash its potential, and establish necessary guardrails.
Webb emphasized the rapid pace of technological advancement, stating, “The technology is moving faster than the public policy that will put the guardrails in place for all of us.”
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Chris Turner, VP of Knowledge and Information Products for Google, a major player in AI’s future, echoed this sentiment. “It needs to be regulated, and it needs to be regulated well,” Turner asserted. He stressed the importance of unified action: “There is nothing more valuable at this phase of AI development than alignment, to get leaders from the State of Texas, all in the same room, all on the same page.”
Tech investors, like Thomas Miranda, General Partner at Top Line Ventures, highlighted the need for a balanced approach to regulation. “We’ll eventually get it right,” Miranda said. “We’ll figure out what the right balance is, but over-regulating this area may not be the best thing currently.”
The conference also celebrated Austin’s vibrant tech scene, showcasing local “unicorns” like Apptronik, a humanoid robotics company, and highlighting the contributions of tech investors at Capital Factory. They are trying to craft a “Lone Star AI Revolution” and it is clear Texas is determined to lead the way in AI and reshape its economic, social, and technological future.