Louisiana Positioned to be Leader in Artificial Intelligence
The following OpEd was published Oct. 10, 2024, in The Advocate (Baton Rouge and Lafayette) and The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
LED recognizes that fostering innovation is key to continued economic growth and technological advancement, which is why we have already taken significant steps to elevate Louisiana as a leader in artificial intelligence infrastructure and development.
Act 590, best known as the Positioning Louisiana to Win bill, established the state’s first innovation focus area, team and leadership within LED. It is a crucial initiative aimed at driving innovation across our legacy industries and preparing our state for the future by giving technology-based companies the tools to grow and thrive here in Louisiana, ensuring that we remain competitive on the global stage.
The Legislature and Gov. Jeff Landry also moved swiftly to enact Act 730, designed to attract billions of dollars in capital investment in AI infrastructure during a wave of unprecedented data center investment by the big tech companies. This legislation reflects a commitment to building a robust AI ecosystem and establishing Louisiana as a global AI network hub.
By laying this groundwork, we are ensuring that AI’s immense potential can be fully harnessed for the benefit of our economy and workforce.
Louisiana is not running this race from behind. Foresight, leadership and investment have positioned our state to be a national leader in the advancement of AI and other emerging technologies.
Josh Fleig
Chief Innovation Officer, LED
