As data centers expand, so does the opposition. A Harvard/MIT survey showed 40% support for data center construction locally, with 32% against it. Interestingly, more people prefer an e-commerce warehouse, according to Axios.
Two-thirds of the 1,000 polled in November were concerned that a new data center would increase electricity costs. While job creation and economic growth argue for data centers, these projects often don’t provide much employment once operational, as noted by Axios.
A Quinnipiac University survey last month found greater resistance, with 65% of Americans opposing an AI data center in their area, and only 24% supporting it, out of 1,397 U.S. adults surveyed.
These polls indicate ongoing debate over data centers, with public discontent likely influencing politics. Data centers, once unobtrusive, are no longer so.