Gallup poll: 7 in 10 Americans don’t want AI data centers near them
Nearly half of respondents say they are strongly opposed, and environmental concerns outweigh economic benefits, Gallup found.
- Seven in 10 Americans oppose the construction of AI data centers in their local communities, according to Gallup data released Wednesday.
- Driven by resource consumption fears, half of opponents cite heavy water and energy use as primary reasons, while 16% raise alarms regarding noise, air, and water pollution.
- Democrats show the highest levels of intense resistance at 56%, compared to 39% of Republicans; geographically, opposition is highest in the Midwest at 76%, exceeding the 53% opposed to nuclear plants.
- Politicians favoring data centers face significant political risk, as the intensity of opposition suggests incoming grassroots activism and legal challenges in upcoming local and state elections.
- Expanding artificial intelligence in the U.S. necessitates building more data centers to support computing power, yet nearly half of respondents stated they are 'strongly opposed,' posing a major hurdle.
26 Articles
26 Articles
70% of Americans oppose data center construction, survey finds
May 14, 2026 – On the Money INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Here is a look at Thursday’s business headlines with Jane King, who has the latest on data center opposition and beer sales drying up as gas prices rise. 70% of Americans oppose data center construction A new Gallup survey shows that 7 in 10 Americans oppose data center construction. Opposition crosses party lines, though Democrats are more likely to take a harder stance. Environmental concerns d…
Gallup poll: 7 in 10 Americans oppose data centers built near where they live - The Midwesterner
Over 70% of Americans say they’re opposed to the building of artificial intelligence data centers in their locality, a new poll from Gallup has revealed. Nearly half of respondents (48%) said they “strongly oppose” data centers being built near where they live, and 23% said they’re “somewhat opposed.” Meanwhile, 20% said they “somewhat favor” them, and only 7% are strongly in favor. “Most Americans appear to be adopting a ‘not in my backyard’ at…
Americans would rather have a nuclear plant in their backyard than a datacenter
The majority of Americans are now opposed to datacenters being built in their area, many strongly opposed, pointing to tough times ahead for site developers. A Gallup survey found more than 70 percent of respondents indicate they would be against the construction of an AI datacenter in their neighboorhood, with almost half (48 percent) saying they were strongly opposed. Only 27 percent were in favor. The polling shows how quickly AI server farms…
Almost half strongly oppose AI data centers in their area: Gallup
Close to half of Americans are strongly against artificial intelligence (AI) data centers in their area, according to a new poll. In the Gallup poll, 48 percent said they would generally “strongly oppose” building “a data center in your area to support artificial intelligence, or AI, technology in the U.S.” Twenty-three percent said they would…
As data center projects continue in AZ, national poll shows wide disapproval
New national polling data shows a majority of Americans do not want to see an AI data center in their community, while the debate surrounding their benefits and potential impacts continues in Arizona.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 59% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
