BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry on Thursday announced that he has implemented safeguards designed to protect Louisiana residents, communities and natural resources from dangers posed by AI data centers while ensuring the state is at the forefront of the artificial intelligence era.

In a press conference at the Capitol, Landry signed an executive order dubbed the “Louisiana Rate-Payer and Community Protection Initiative.”

The state currently has four data center campuses, and according to the governor, Louisiana is “finally the prettiest girl at the dance.”

“But guess what? Before they can even ask us out, they got to go look at this executive order,” Landry said.

According to Landry, his executive order will ensure that utility costs are not passed onto residents and local businesses by requiring “power-intensive companies” to “fully fund the generation, transmission and infrastructure needed to serve them.”

Landry said the initiative protects the state’s electrical grids, ensures partnerships between companies and communities to provide training and education, and gives local governments “meaningful tax benefits” to support schools, health care, public safety and services.

According to Louisiana Economic Development, companies will be required to submit detailed reports to LED outlining how they will meet these standards before being allowed to develop in Louisiana.

Landry said that Louisiana has lagged behind other states for far too long and finally has a chance to be on the frontlines of innovation. The initiative is Landry’s way of navigating what he called the challenge of “distinguishing between the temporary costs of building the future and the lasting consequences of choosing not to.”

Before signing the order, Landry emphasized how important he believes it is for Louisiana to be a leader in the artificial intelligence space.

He compared the AI race to the dawn of electricity, even pointing to John D. Rockefeller’s opposition to it so that people would keep using kerosene lamps.

“The communities that embraced electrification didn’t just replace kerosene with better lighting, they became centers of manufacturing, innovation and economic growth, while those who hesitated were eventually forced to catch up,” Landry said.