Poll Shows Sharp Decline in U.S. Support for Local AI Data Centers

A recent poll conducted by Embold Research and released through Heatmap Pro found that three-quarters of U.S. adults oppose building artificial-intelligence data centers near where they live, with 61% expressing strong opposition. The survey shows a rise from 42% opposition a year earlier, when public sentiment was roughly evenly split.

The decline in support appears across all demographic groups, according to Heatmap executive editor Robinson Meyer. > "If you can think of a cohort of Americans, there’s a good chance they wouldn’t welcome a data center in their area," Meyer said, adding that the shift spans age, gender, income, partisan affiliation and rural-urban status. He noted that opposition is strongest among Democrats, followed by independents and Republicans.

Other analysts described the change as unusually rapid. Adam Carlson, founding partner at Zenith Polls, wrote that he had not seen public opinion shift so quickly on any issue. Justin Slaughter, vice president of regulatory affairs at venture-capital firm Paradigm, said opponents are converting former supporters to neutral or opposing positions.

Commentators also pointed to broader concerns about the AI industry, including reports that developers have required local officials to sign nondisclosure agreements and warnings from tech executives about potential job losses.

The findings come as President Donald Trump recently highlighted AI data centers as a source of employment, despite the facilities typically creating few jobs after construction.