America is in a race against China for AI dominance, and right now, the biggest obstacle might not be Beijing. It might be local zoning boards.
A Gallup survey found that seven in 10 Americans oppose building AI data centers in their local area, a number that exceeds even opposition to local nuclear power plant construction, which sits at 53 percent. Nuclear has been politically toxic for decades. Data center opposition has already blown past it
Seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing data centers for artificial intelligence in their local area, including nearly half, 48%, who are strongly opposed. Barely a quarter favor these projects, with 7% strongly in favor.
But look at who is actually driving that number. Democrats strongly oppose data center construction at 56 percent, compared to just 39 percent of Republicans. Independents fall at 48 percent. This is not a broad national consensus against AI infrastructure. It is a populist backlash, and Democrats are leading it, but it is loudest in the places least likely to host these facilities. Opposition in the South runs at 63 percent. In the West, 68 percent. The Midwest and Northeast clock in at 75 percent and 76 percent, respectively. The communities where data centers actually get built are, on balance, more open to them.
The Trump administration is pushing to rapidly expand AI infrastructure as both an economic priority and a national security necessity in the competition with China.