Pull The Pedal From The Metal

Louisiana has entered into one of the biggest economic opportunities in modern history.

Meta is building a massive artificial intelligence data center in Richland Parish. The project has grown into a $50 billion investment, with more than 1,000 permanent jobs, billions of dollars in Louisiana contracts and major infrastructure improvements. Teachers in Richland Parish are reportedly receiving bonuses worth tens of thousands of dollars because of the new tax revenue.

Naturally, Louisiana lawmakers took one look at this historic investment and asked the most Louisiana question imaginable: How can we regulate the industry powering it?

More than 20 bills dealing with artificial intelligence were introduced during the 2026 legislative session. Although they mostly failed, lawmakers are already discussing bringing some of them back.

It is classic Louisiana economic development. We throw a parade when the company announces its investment, cut a ribbon when construction begins and then start searching for new ways to make doing business here more complicated.

Apparently, we want the data centers, electrical infrastructure, construction jobs and tax revenue created by artificial intelligence. We are just a little uneasy about allowing artificial intelligence to actually grow.

That is like recruiting an automobile factory and then promising to crack down on driving.

Of course, there are legitimate concerns involving fraud, child exploitation, and misuse of personal information. Those activities can and should be addressed through clear, targeted laws. Louisiana also passed a comprehensive consumer data privacy law this year.

But lawmakers should resist the temptation to create a sprawling Louisiana-specific rulebook for a technology that changes almost daily and operates across state and national borders. A patchwork of vague state regulations will not stop bad actors in China or Russia. It will simply encourage American companies to invest somewhere else.

Texas will be happy to take the money.

Louisiana has spent decades complaining that we missed the technology boom. Now that the artificial intelligence revolution is landing directly in our backyard, some politicians want to greet it with extra paperwork, lawsuits, and government oversight.

We should protect consumers and punish actual misconduct. But Louisiana cannot credibly claim it wants to become a national home for artificial intelligence while threatening to put a regulatory collar around the industry.

Only Louisiana would welcome the engine of the future and immediately start looking for the brake pedal.