as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, behind the scenes, oil and gas professionals have, and will, play a vital role in ensuring the viability of these AI data centers. Landmen and attorneys are uniquely positioned to both leverage their current skillsets and develop new ones. Traditionally, landmen have been crucial in the success of oil and gas operations. Their duties include negotiating leases with landowners, title research, regulatory compliance, and coordination between geologists, engineers, and other experts to support exploration and production efforts. Landmen are experts on the ground to ensure the success of oil and gas projects. This expertise will be valuable to tech companies when they are identifying potential sites for AI data centers. While AI and machine learning algorithms will play a significant role in site selection and data analysis because they can predict the best locations for energy projects by analyzing vast amounts of data, landmen can become subject matter experts on platforms such as LandApp , a tool developed by LandGate, which provides analytics for renewable energy and data center developers. [55]
the country has created a unique opportunity for the oil and gas industry. Due to the immense energy required to power AI data centers, operators have turned to natural gas as an energy solution. This means that oil and gas professionals are uniquely positioned to leverage their ability to negotiate deeds and leases for the land on which AI data centers will be built and the natural gas operations that will power them. Finally, as the use of AI becomes more prevalent, so will legal disputes arising from environmental protection, data security, and intellectual property protection. As a result, attorneys will be called upon to provide guidance and expertise to help operators navigate these issues in an ever changing environment. [ 1] History of AI: Timeline and the Future, M aryville U niversity (May 19, 2023), https://online.maryville.edu/ blog/history-of-ai/. [2] Jet New, A Summary of Alan Turig’s Computing Machinery and Intelligence , M edium (Aug. 12, 2020), https://medium.com/@jetnew/a-summary-of-alan- m-turings-computing-machinery-and-intelligence- fd714d187c0b. [3] The Birth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research , L awrence L ivermore N ational L aboratory , https://st.llnl. gov/news/look-back/birth-artificial-intelligence-ai- research (last visited Aug. 29, 2025). [4] Id . [5] Jeremy Norman, George Devol Invests Unimate, the First Industrial Robot (June 11, 2025), https://www. historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=3616. [6] Id. [7] The Story of ELIZA: The AI That Fooled The World , L ondon I ntercultural A cademy , https://liacademy. co.uk/the-story-of-eliza-the-ai-that-fooled-the- world/?v=0b3b97fa6688 (last visited Aug. 29, 2025). [8] Id. [9] Mahmut Kandemir, Why AI uses so much energy – and what we can do about it , P enn S tate I nstitute of E nergy and the E nvironment (Apr. 8, 2025), https://iee. psu.edu/news/blog/why-ai-uses-so-much-energy-and- what-we-can-do-about-it. [10] Alexandra Jonker & Alice Gomstyn, What is an AI Data Center? , IBM (Feb. 21, 2025), https://www.ibm. com/think/topics/ai-data-center. [11] Id. [12] How does natural gas become electricity? , W illiams ,
Operating AI-driven data centers presents
complex legal challenges and attorneys will be called upon to address those challenges. Attorneys will be asked to guide operators through energy procurement negotiations, environmental compliance, data security, and intellectual property protection. [56] Securing permits for energy infrastructure and facility expansions involves navigating local zoning laws, environmental impact assessments, and community engagement processes. [57] Legal disputes will likely arise when location regulations conflict with large-scale energy projects. [58] Proposed regulations could impose energy efficiency standards, carbon reporting requirements, or even limits on high-energy-consuming AI applications. [59] Attorneys should stay informed about emerging energy and AI regulations, as governments are beginning to scrutinize the energy impact of AI technologies. [60]
The proliferation of AI data centers across
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