Google ex Eric Schmidt enters AI race w failed Texas railroad turned oil giant (fortune.com)

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is launching Bolt Data & Energy, a startup positioned to meet the significant energy demands of AI and data centers in rural West Texas. Partnering with Texas Pacific Land, a company with extensive landholdings and infrastructure, Bolt aims to provide a holistic solution for hyperscalers' power, water, and land requirements. With a focus on transitioning from natural gas to renewable and clean energy sources, Bolt plans to develop data center campuses capable of generating up to 10 gigawatts of power, enough to supply approximately 7 million homes. This initiative is significant for the AI/ML community as it addresses the increasing energy constraints facing AI development and positions the U.S. to remain competitive in the global AI landscape. By integrating energy ownership with data infrastructure, Schmidt believes Bolt will not only foster responsible AI development but also support infrastructure resilience and sustainability. The startup's ambitious plans highlight a shift towards decentralized power generation in less saturated, regulatory-friendly regions, indicating a potential evolution in how data centers operate within the tech ecosystem.