A survey of 1,503 likely voters conducted by The New York Times and Siena University shows that 61 percent of respondents oppose the construction of data centers built to power AI technologies. Only 14 percent expressed strong support for facility expansion, highlighting growing public pushback against physical AI infrastructure across political lines.
Opposition was primarily driven by environmental issues, with 32 percent citing water and power consumption, followed by local community impacts at 21 percent and general distrust of AI at 18 percent. Among those opposed to data centers, 56 percent supported policy restrictions on buildouts, while 38 percent favored complete bans.
Despite the clear opposition to facility construction, respondents ranked AI infrastructure low on their list of overall priorities for upcoming elections, with less than 1 percent citing it as a top midterm issue. The data reflects similar negative sentiments found in recent polls by NBC News and Gallup regarding localized AI development.
Why it matters
Heightened public opposition poses severe permitting and zoning risks for operators expanding physical data center capacity.
Environmental concerns around water and energy usage are becoming primary catalysts for local resistance to infrastructure.
Creates potential state and local regulatory hurdles even if federal intervention remains minimal.
Source: theverge.com
