DeSantis vs. AI: Florida Governor Pushes Back On Data Centers, Automation And Deepfakes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis, who previously took on large technology companies, has positioned himself as a prominent Republican skeptic of artificial intelligence, setting up a clash with a fast-growing industry and with leaders of his own party.

As former President Donald Trump and many Republican officials in Washington advocate for a permissive, nationally coordinated approach to AI, DeSantis has increasingly argued that unchecked expansion — particularly in data centers and automation — threatens jobs, local communities and democratic institutions. He plans to make AI policy a priority during his final year as Florida governor.

DeSantis has spotlighted several specific concerns: the sprawling infrastructure needed to power advanced AI; the displacement of workers by automation; the spread of deepfakes and other manipulative content; and the potential for AI-driven mental-health tools to cause harm.

Policy Proposals

Heading into the 2026 legislative session, DeSantis has recommended a package of measures for Florida lawmakers that includes:

• Requiring companies to disclose when consumers are interacting with AI-generated content;
• Banning the use of AI as a replacement for licensed therapists or mental-health counseling;
• Expanding parental controls over children’s access to AI services;
• Restricting state subsidies for hyperscale data centers and protecting water resources from overuse by such facilities;
• Requiring noise and environmental reviews for large data-center projects.

DeSantis has framed these proposals as consumer protections and community safeguards rather than culture-war measures. “We as individual human beings are the ones that were endowed by God with certain inalienable rights,” he said Dec. 15 at an AI event in Jupiter, arguing that machines should not supplant humans in critical roles.

“The idea of this transhumanist strain, that somehow this is going to supplant humans and this other stuff, we have to reject that with every fiber of our being,” DeSantis said. “They did not endow machines or these computers for this.”

Data Centers: Local Pushback And State Tension

One of the most contentious issues is the nationwide boom in hyperscale data centers — facilities that power AI models and consume large amounts of electricity and water. Florida has not yet seen the same scale of campus-style deployments as Georgia or Louisiana, but at least two major projects are in development. Local officials recently paused a proposed 202-acre data-center project in Palm Beach County, nicknamed “Project Tango,” while residents nationwide have raised concerns about pollution, noise, utility rate pressure and water use.

Industry groups stress that data centers bring jobs and investment and point to Florida’s advantages — available land, water access and clean-energy potential. But DeSantis and local opponents argue that the costs to communities and utilities can outweigh the benefits.

State Vs. Federal Tension

The debate also highlights a growing tension between state-level regulation and federal priorities. The White House has signaled it may challenge state laws it deems overly restrictive on AI, and an executive order from the president warns against “onerous AI laws.” DeSantis, however, says many of his proposals (such as child protections and state uses of AI) fall well within states’ rights under the Tenth Amendment and would not violate federal commerce rules.

Legislative Outlook

Florida’s legislative session convenes Jan. 13, 2026. Lawmakers have already held a series of AI hearings and advanced at least one bill that would require a “qualified human professional” to make final determinations on insurer claim denials or reductions, while still allowing AI to help process claims and offer recommendations.

Supporters of measured regulation say these steps aim to balance innovation with public safety; critics warn that heavy-handed state rules could slow technological progress and investment.

What To Watch

Key items to follow include whether Florida enacts disclosure requirements, a ban on AI-driven therapy, tighter parental controls, limits on subsidies for hyperscale centers, and how courts or the federal government respond if laws conflict with national policy. The outcome will shape both Florida’s economic future and the broader debate within the Republican Party over how aggressively to manage AI.

Reporting note: DeSantis made public remarks on Dec. 15 and Dec. 18 during events in Jupiter and Sebring, and the Florida House held AI hearings in December. Industry testimony included statements from Michael Strain of the American Enterprise Institute and Dan Diorio of the Data Center Coalition.