New polling from Gallup shows that Americans really, really don’t like AI data centers being constructed in their neighborhoods. How much do they hate the rise of AI infrastructure? More Americans say they oppose data centers being built near them than oppose nuclear power plants in the same area.
A whopping 71% of Americans oppose the construction of data centers in their area, according to Gallup, with 23% somewhat opposed and 48% strongly opposed. Just 7% of Americans strongly support the construction of data centers near them, while another 20% say they somewhat support it.
Compare that with nuclear power plants, where 53% of Americans oppose their nearby construction. Gallup first started asking Americans about their attitudes on the construction of nuclear power plants in 2001, and that was the highest opposition of the past quarter-century. Back in 2001, 63% of Americans opposed having nuclear power plants close to their neighborhoods. And that’s quite a number to keep in perspective.
Again, 71% of Americans currently oppose the construction of data centers in their area, which is significantly higher than nuclear power plant opposition has been since Gallup started asking the question.
Why are Americans opposed to data center construction? When you drill down into the reasons, the most common responses involve quality of life and environmental concerns. Among those who oppose new data centers, 50% cite the strain on local resources, including 18% who are worried about excessive water use and another 18% who point to energy consumption. Another 15% say they are concerned about higher utility bills and energy costs.
Americans are also concerned about the community impact on housing and property values, with 22% mentioning quality of life concerns overall. Twelve percent of respondents mentioned worries about jobs replacing human workers, and 14% mentioned worries about pollution from the AI data centers.
What do the people who want AI data centers in their community cite as their reasons? The biggest reason is that they believe it will bring job opportunities. Fifty-five percent of people who support data centers cite the potential for new job opportunities, the most common reason by far. Seventeen percent of those who support construction cite what they believe are the technological benefits of AI. Just 3% say they want AI data centers in their community because it will ensure the U.S. becomes a leader in the market and won’t be left behind globally.
Overall, Gallup notes that majorities across all demographic groups say they oppose the development of an AI data center in their community. Even a majority of Republicans oppose them at 63%. But Democrats have both a higher percentage of opposition (75%) as well as many more who say they strongly oppose (56%), compared with Republicans (39%). Women are also more likely to strongly oppose data center construction compared to men (55% vs 43%).
There are also some subtle differences by region, with those in the western part of the U.S. slightly more open to data center construction (63% oppose) compared to the East (68% oppose), the Midwest (76% oppose), and the South (75% oppose), according to Gallup.
The findings are quite astounding, given the past 50 years of concerns about nuclear energy. The Chernobyl disaster occurred in 1986, the Three Mile Island meltdown occurred in 1979, and the Fukushima nuclear accident happened in 2011. There have been countless movies and TV shows focusing on fears about nuclear power, including everything from The China Syndrome (1979) to running gags in The Simpsons.
Opposition to data centers has obviously become a big deal in recent years as the largest AI companies build their energy-sucking, water-hoovering monstrosities in communities across the United States. And Americans are frustrated with the lack of transparency that often comes along with having one in your backyard. For example, we recently learned about a data center in Fayetteville, Georgia, that guzzled 30 million gallons of water last year before it started paying a penny for the resources it was consuming.
Communities in both red and blue states are increasingly getting organized to oppose data centers being built near them, but it can be an uphill battle. Pro-MAGA TV personality Kevin O’Leary is trying to build an enormous data center in Utah and has faced stiff opposition. O’Leary claims that the people who oppose him are paid for by the Chinese government, a ridiculous claim without any evidence.
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