AI data centres face significant public resistance, according to polling released on Tuesday by the New York Times and Siena University. The findings confirm a trend already reflected in political responses to the rapid expansion of the technology.
When asked whether they support or oppose the construction of data centres to power AI technology, 61 percent of the 1,503 likely voters surveyed in early September said they were opposed. Only 14 percent said they strongly support such construction. The survey was carried out ahead of recent discussions around an AI safety slowdown.
How Voters Divide on the Issue
The split was roughly even among those who backed Donald Trump in 2024, at 49 percent support to 45 percent oppose. By contrast, people who voted for Kamala Harris or who did not vote leaned towards opposition, at 74 percent and 67 percent respectively.
Among voters who opposed data centres, 56 percent said they supported limits on their construction, while 38 percent preferred a total ban. The reasons behind the opposition proved revealing. Concerns over the environment and water usage were the most common at 32 percent, followed by the impact on local communities at 21 percent. General distrust or dislike of AI accounted for 18 percent, while regulation concerns and the economy registered at 10 and 9 percent respectively.
A Recurring Pattern in Recent Surveys
The latest figures echo earlier polling. An NBC News survey in March showed AI polling lower than ICE, while a Gallup poll in May found that seven in ten Americans opposed the local construction of AI data centres.
Despite the strength of feeling, the data released ranked AI and data centres low among the issues voters considered most important when deciding their midterm vote. Across most demographics, the topic registered at less than one percent. An exception came among younger voters, with three percent of the 18-29 group selecting it, though even here the most popular responses were the economy, foreign policy, inflation, and opposition to Trump and the Republicans.
Voters in either party still overwhelmingly named their own party as the one they trusted to handle the issue. Overall, among 554 respondents, 40 percent favoured the Democrats, 42 percent favoured the Republicans, and 18 percent said they did not know or refused to answer.
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Image: theverge.com
