IntoTexas AI Podcast

Shannon Belew

Your deep dive into AI news and trends reshaping Texas. Everything is bigger in Texas—including the impact of artificial intelligence. Hosted by Shannon Belew, IntoTexas AI brings you the most important AI stories impacting Texas—from data centers and enterprise adoption to startups, policy, and the shifting balance of power in work. Each episode delivers: The biggest AI news stories connected to Texas What it means for business leaders, innovators and investors Fast insights you can actually use It's a front-row seat to how AI is transforming one of the most important economic regions.

  1. 2d ago

    DOE’s Genesis Mission: How Texas Is Using AI to Accelerate Scientific Discovery

    What happens when AI stops being the thing we’re trying to build—and becomes the tool we use to discover what comes next? The U.S. Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission is putting that idea to the test. The initiative selected 278 Phase I projects with researchers using AI to tackle challenges across energy, physics, advanced manufacturing, biology, quantum computing and more. Texas is playing a significant role. Twelve of the selected projects are led by Texas-based organizations, including teams at Texas A&M, UT Austin, Rice University, UT Arlington, Texas State University, the University of Houston and Halliburton. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks beyond the individual university announcements to explore the bigger story: how AI is moving inside the scientific discovery process itself, why Texas has the research depth to participate across so many different fields, and what business leaders can learn from the way these scientists are approaching AI. The lesson may be surprisingly practical. These researchers didn’t begin by asking, “Where can we use AI?” They began with problems they already understood—and then asked whether AI could help solve them better. We also look at the money behind the Genesis Mission, the role of private-sector partners, and why accelerating scientific discovery may ultimately be one of the most consequential investments being made in AI today. Subscribe to IntoTexas AI for more reporting and analysis on how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, technology and innovation across Texas. #ArtificialIntelligence #TexasAI #GenesisMission #ScientificDiscovery #AIInnovation #TexasTechnology #AIResearch #IntoTexasAI

  2. Jul 31

    Texas AI Beyond Data Centers: Industrial AI, Drones, Driverless Trucks & Rice Research

    Texas lawmakers are taking a harder look at the rapid growth of data centers—but that is only one part of the state’s expanding AI economy. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks beyond the biggest headlines to examine several developments showing where artificial intelligence is being put to work across Texas. Houston is attracting specialized industrial AI investment as Applied Computing opens its first U.S. office and partners with KBR. Applied Optoelectronics is expanding manufacturing in Pearland to produce critical infrastructure for AI systems. In North Texas, Flytrex and Nash are combining drone delivery with ground couriers, while Aurora prepares to deploy autonomous trucks along major Texas freight corridors. We also visit Rice University, where researchers are developing AI-powered “self-driving laboratories”—and exploring why the next generation of intelligent systems may need to learn how to forget. Together, these stories reveal an increasingly interconnected Texas AI economy shaped by energy, manufacturing, transportation, research and the demands of operating in the real world. Subscribe to IntoTexas AI for news and analysis about how artificial intelligence is changing business, industries and communities across Texas. #TexasAI #ArtificialIntelligence #IntoTexasAI #IndustrialAI #DataCenters #AutonomousVehicles #DroneDelivery #Rice #AITexas

  3. Jul 24

    The Hidden Reason AI Projects Stall Inside Organizations

    Most companies aren't struggling to adopt AI. They're struggling to adapt their organizations around it. In this episode of the IntoTexas AI Podcast, Shannon Belew explores one of the biggest leadership challenges facing businesses today: the gap between AI adoption and organizational adaptation. Employees are using AI. Productivity is improving. But many organizations still don't feel fundamentally different. Why? Because AI is often being inserted into workflows, reporting structures, and decision-making processes that were designed long before AI existed. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why AI adoption and organizational adaptation are two very different things • The four organizational levers leaders should evaluate • What Texas organizations like TxDOT, Foxlink, and USAA can teach us about AI transformation • Why organizational design—not technology—may become the biggest competitive advantage of the AI era If you're a CEO, executive, manager, or business leader trying to move beyond AI pilots and toward real transformation, this episode is for you. The technology may be new. The organization may still be yesterday's organization. IntoTexas AI explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, leadership, and innovation across Texas. Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. #ArtificialIntelligence #Leadership #BusinessTransformation #DigitalTransformation #TexasBusiness #FutureOfWork #AILeadership #Innovation #ExecutiveLeadership #IntoTexasAI

  4. Jul 23

    Texas Is Building AI Infrastructure. But Is It Building AI Leaders?

    Who will actually turn a company’s AI strategy into everyday work? In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew examines why middle managers may determine whether AI adoption succeeds or fails. While executives set ambitious goals and employees are encouraged to use new tools, managers are often left to redesign workflows, evaluate AI-generated work, manage changing roles and explain what adoption means for their teams—without a new management model or additional support. The episode explores the growing pressure on middle managers, the consequences of top-down AI mandates and why awareness training alone is not enough. Shannon also looks at how the manager’s role is changing as leaders learn to divide work between people and AI, establish accountability, rethink performance and guide employees through uncertainty. Texas is building the infrastructure, talent programs and investment ecosystem needed to compete in AI. But the state’s long-term advantage may depend on whether its companies also prepare the leaders who can turn AI tools into productive, responsible and measurable business value. Subscribe to IntoTexas AI for practical analysis of how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, leadership and work across Texas. #ArtificialIntelligence #AILeadership #MiddleManagement #FutureOfWork #AIAdoption #TexasBusiness #LeadershipDevelopment #IntoTexasAI

  5. Jul 17

    Where AI Startups Find Funding, Mentors & Support in Texas

    Texas has a growing network of organizations helping AI startups move from an early idea to commercialization, customer adoption and investment. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew explores the communities, incubators, accelerators, university programs and industry organizations supporting AI founders across Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston. Learn how professional communities such as AI Women Leaders, Dallas AI and Austin AI Hub provide education, networking and mentorship before a founder is ready for a formal program. We also examine more structured resources, including Capital Factory, the Austin Technology Incubator, TechFW, Health Wildcatters, the Rice AI Venture Accelerator, TMC Innovation and Greentown Labs Houston. The episode explains the differences between communities, incubators and accelerators; how founders can select the right resource for their stage and industry; and why speed, customer access, technical infrastructure and specialized expertise have become increasingly important for today’s AI startups. These resources are not limited to startup founders. Many also provide valuable learning and networking opportunities for business leaders, technical professionals, researchers and organizations exploring how to use AI. Know of a Texas AI community, incubator or accelerator we should feature? Share it in the comments and help us build a clearer map of the Texas AI ecosystem. #TexasAI #AIStartups #StartupAccelerator #ArtificialIntelligence #VC #IntoTexas

  6. Jul 16

    Healthcare Systems Built Around AI in Texas

    Texas is moving beyond isolated AI healthcare pilots—and beginning to build entire medical institutions, research programs and care-delivery models around artificial intelligence. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks at the new $750 million UT Dell Medical Center planned for Austin, Adaptive Innovations’ $50 million funding round for an AI-native home healthcare model, and major AI research efforts involving UT Austin, MD Anderson and UTHealth Houston. The episode also examines the national healthcare AI investment boom, growing physician adoption and the UT System’s expanding effort to create shared AI infrastructure across its medical schools and health institutions. The big question: Is Texas simply participating in the healthcare AI boom—or helping define what the next generation of AI-enabled healthcare will look like? #ArtificialIntelligence #HealthcareAI #TexasAI #DigitalHealth #HealthTech #MedicalAI #AIInvestment #TexasHealthcare #UTAustin #MDAnderson #HomeHealthcare #HealthcareInnovation #IntoTexasAI

  7. Jul 10

    AI Cameras in North Texas: Flock, Public Safety, and the Business of Physical AI

    AI cameras are no longer just recording devices. They are becoming part of a fast-growing market in computer vision, video analytics, public safety technology, industrial automation, and smart infrastructure. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks at the recent report on Flock cameras across DFW, including automated license plate readers mapped in Tarrant County. She also explores a larger business question: what happens when cameras become searchable, measurable, and operational? The episode explains how AI cameras differ from traditional cameras, why the value is increasingly in the intelligence layer behind the image, and how companies are using video analytics for public safety, logistics, compliance, risk management, customer experience, and real-time operations. Shannon also looks at Texas-based companies in the AI camera and physical security space, including Austin-based Eagle Eye Networks and Athena Security, and why Texas has a strong opportunity to be part of the next phase of physical AI. IntoTexas AI covers how artificial intelligence is shaping Texas business, infrastructure, policy, and daily life.   #ArtificialIntelligence #TexasAI #AICameras #ComputerVision #PhysicalAI #VideoAnalytics #FlockSafety #PublicSafetyTech #SmartInfrastructure #IntoTexasAI

  8. Jul 3

    How SpaceX Became a Founder Factory After Its Historic IPO

    As America celebrates 250 years of independence, this episode looks at a different kind of freedom: the freedom to build. SpaceX’s historic IPO made headlines for its size, investor demand, and the wealth it created. But the bigger story may be what SpaceX had already launched long before going public: a new generation of start-up founders. Former SpaceX employees have gone on to build startups in space infrastructure, satellite manufacturing, autonomous transportation, advanced manufacturing, defense, robotics, and AI-enabled hardware. Companies like Impulse Space, Apex, Stoke Space, Hadrian, Varda Space Industries, Turion Space, Parallel Systems, and Reliable Robotics show how the SpaceX alumni ecosystem is spreading into some of the hardest markets in technology. In this episode of IntoTexas AI, Shannon Belew looks at SpaceX as a modern founder factory, how its leadership and operating culture shaped future entrepreneurs, and why the IPO could fuel the next wave of innovation — especially in hard tech, Physical AI, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. And for Texas, with Starbase near Brownsville and SpaceX’s growing footprint in the state, this is more than a space story. It is a Texas innovation story. #SpaceX #IntoTexasAI #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Startups #Entrepreneurship #HardTech #PhysicalAI #SpaceTech #Aerospace #AdvancedManufacturing #TexasInnovation #TexasBusiness #Innovation #ElonMusk #Starbase #FutureOfWork #Technology #VentureCapital #DefenseTech

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About

Your deep dive into AI news and trends reshaping Texas. Everything is bigger in Texas—including the impact of artificial intelligence. Hosted by Shannon Belew, IntoTexas AI brings you the most important AI stories impacting Texas—from data centers and enterprise adoption to startups, policy, and the shifting balance of power in work. Each episode delivers: The biggest AI news stories connected to Texas What it means for business leaders, innovators and investors Fast insights you can actually use It's a front-row seat to how AI is transforming one of the most important economic regions.

Information

  • Creator
    Shannon Belew
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Shannon Belew