Survey: 70% of Americans don’t want data centers in their community
America loves a good boogeyman, and data centers have become one.
It was once easy for the hyperscalers to sidle up to state legislators, utility executives, and local officials with the promise of jobs and the high-tech glow of AI for their economically challenged areas without much local opposition.
But now the script has been flipped, and public opposition to data centers is starting to solidify. A new Gallup survey asked 1,000 Americans for their thoughts on data centers, the first such survey for the polling company. Among the findings:
70% of survey respondents opposed local construction of AI data centers.
Opposition to local data centers was much stronger than opposition to local nuclear power plants.
Dislike for data centers is bipartisan — majorities of both Democrats and Republicans were opposed to data centers, but more so for Democrats.
Among those opposed to data centers, the impact on the environment and energy usage were top concerns.
Local communities and state governments around the US have introduced bans or moratoriums on data center construction. Senators have also introduced similar legislation in Congress.
Last month, Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed legislation that would have enacted the first statewide bill to pause data center construction.
But now the script has been flipped, and public opposition to data centers is starting to solidify. A new Gallup survey asked 1,000 Americans for their thoughts on data centers, the first such survey for the polling company. Among the findings:
70% of survey respondents opposed local construction of AI data centers.
Opposition to local data centers was much stronger than opposition to local nuclear power plants.
Dislike for data centers is bipartisan — majorities of both Democrats and Republicans were opposed to data centers, but more so for Democrats.
Among those opposed to data centers, the impact on the environment and energy usage were top concerns.
Local communities and state governments around the US have introduced bans or moratoriums on data center construction. Senators have also introduced similar legislation in Congress.
Last month, Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed legislation that would have enacted the first statewide bill to pause data center construction.
