Esri Executive Explains How AI And Digital Twins Could Reshape Texas Infrastructure

AUSTIN, Texas (TXAN 24) — As Texas continues to add residents, businesses and massive technology infrastructure, artificial intelligence and geospatial technology could give government officials new tools to make decisions about where and how that growth occurs.

Speaking with TXAN 24 News at the Reuters Momentum AI conference in Austin, Brian Cross of Esri discussed how digital twins and geographic information systems can help cities better understand their physical environments.

In Austin, Esri is helping the city develop a digital twin of its parks and recreation system. Cross said the technology brings together mapping information about parks, buildings and other assets, allowing city staff to examine how public spaces are being used, manage maintenance and consider how public resources can be allocated.

Cross said Austin has more than 2,000 city employees working with digital maps and has created more than 1,000 data layers covering information throughout the city.

Adding AI to those datasets could allow residents and officials to interact with geographic information through questions and conversations, including identifying potential flood risks or determining how weather conditions could affect park use.

The potential extends beyond Austin.

Cross pointed to organizations including DFW Airport, the Texas Department of Emergency Management, the Texas Department of Transportation, Houston and Austin as examples of entities developing geospatial capabilities.

“All across Texas, organizations are building this capability,” Cross said.

The technology could also factor into one of Texas’ biggest emerging infrastructure questions: where to locate data centers.

Cross said planners can evaluate factors including access to water, connections to the power grid, nearby populations, environmental considerations and potential community impacts.

“When you put all that together, it’s like a giant chessboard,” Cross said.

The concept could allow planners to evaluate multiple factors digitally before making major physical investments.

As Texas’ population and technology sectors continue growing, Cross said location-based data could provide another layer of information for officials making decisions about infrastructure, energy, water and public services.