Technology

New Mexico is using satellite technology and artificial intelligence to find hidden drinking water leaks, with repairs to 216 identified leaks potentially saving 328 million gallons annually and cutting water production costs by $505,000.

A $40 million fiber-optic project aims to bring high-speed internet to 3,935 unserved and underserved locations across five northern New Mexico counties, expanding access to education, telehealth and remote work. Backed largely by federal funding, the project could be completed by 2030 after environmental reviews and permitting.

The rapid expansion of AI data centers in southern New Mexico and West Texas is raising concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, water shortages, rising electricity demand, and public health. As officials promote climate goals, major projects backed by tax incentives are testing the balance between economic growth and environmental protection.

New Mexico is investing more than $450 million in quantum technology as Japanese tech giant Fujitsu partners with the state to establish a quantum computing research center, expanding opportunities for scientific research, high-skilled jobs and innovation.

Sceye’s high-altitude airship completed a nearly 30,000-kilometer flight from New Mexico to Japan and back, successfully delivering mobile broadband to ordinary smartphones from the stratosphere in a major test of “cell towers in the sky.”