Hello everyone! AITX Team here with more updates this week.
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In this week’s edition you’re getting:
5 Upcoming Events
3 AI Community Stories
So let’s jump in!
UPCOMING EVENTS
When: Thursday, January 29 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM CST
Where: Antler VC Austin, Texas
What: This is the first installment of a workshop series for people who want to make money by practically applying AI to real-world business problems in valuable industries.
When: Monday, January 19 | 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM CST
What: 58% of Texas students are not at grade level in math.
That's not a typo. According to the latest STAAR data, more than half of Texas kids are behind - and most parents have no idea.
Why? Because "passing" a class doesn't mean "on grade level." Schools don't always tell you the difference.
Assessment Day answers one question: Is your child actually on track?
When: Wed, January 7, 2026 | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM CST
What: We focus on agentic software development: multi-agent architectures, middleware patterns, LangChain + LangGraph workflows, DeepAgents, and real-world application building. Many presenters are power users of Claude Code, and we frequently explore how developers use it in their agent workflows.
When: Saturday, January 24 | 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM CST
What: Launched in 2011, and quite possibly the longest running big data conference in the world, Data Day Texas returns in January with an international list of marquee presenters.
💻 Hack AI
When: Thursday January 8 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM CST
What: A monthly session for builders all over the Austin area to learn about and build the latest AI technology.
COMMUNITY STORIES
AMD and Google are reportedly in talks with Samsung to manufacture 2-nanometer chips at Samsung’s Taylor, Texas facility, targeting production once the plant comes online in 2026.
Why it matters: If Taylor becomes a real 2nm option, Texas shifts from “data center state” to “advanced chip supply chain state,” which tightens the local loop between compute demand and hardware production
Need-to-know:
Samsung’s Taylor site is positioned as a potential 2nm manufacturing hub in 2026, and both AMD and Google have reportedly engaged directly with the site and process planning.
The backdrop is Taiwan’s limits on exporting leading-edge TSMC tech, often described as an “N-2” style restriction on what can be produced overseas.
Samsung’s ability to deliver good yields at 2nm is the swing factor that decides whether these talks become real volume commitments
Learn more here.
TxDOT is partnering with University of North Texas researchers to develop an AI system that detects road debris faster and alerts crews, aiming to reduce secondary crashes and traffic backups. The team plans to fuse crowdsourced reports (like Waze) with other inputs such as roadway cameras
Why it matters: This is a clean, high-impact use case for AI in the real world: faster detection, faster response, fewer incidents, and a blueprint for “smart road” deployments across Texas.
Need-to-know:
Waze accounts for about 72% of debris reports and tends to surface them roughly 16 minutes earlier than traditional methods
The system aims to classify debris types so response can match the risk and urgency
Researchers say the prototype is targeted for next year, with privacy guardrails like not retaining faces or license plates
Learn more here.
Starting January 1, 2026, Texas is putting dozens of new laws into effect, including House Bill 149 that creates a statewide framework for regulating certain AI uses, plus new rules tied to immigration enforcement and post-disaster property tax limits.
Why it matters: Texas is signaling that AI is now treated like infrastructure: regulated, audited, and enforceable, which will shape how companies deploy models, handle disclosures, and manage risk.
Need-to-know:
HB 149 sets up a Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act framework and creates a Texas Artificial Intelligence Council
SB 8 requires many sheriffs to enter 287(g) cooperation with ICE for jail immigration enforcement, with different requirements based on county size
HB 30 limits certain post-disaster property tax moves and adds mechanisms tied to disaster debris and recovery costs
Learn more here.
That’s all for now, folks!
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