Americans are turning against AI data centers over rising energy costs, tax breaks, and layoffs. Discover what’s driving the backlash.
Is it the rising energy costs, tax breaks, and layoffs?
this post was submitted on 08 May 2026
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Only 35% of voters now say they would be comfortable with a new data center in their community, down from 69% in 2023. Support for state tax breaks for data centers also fell from 61% to 37% over the same period.
37% of people still support what now?
That 37% hasn't been near one. Promise 0 % that live near one enjoy having it there.
Especially when they have no water, the noise level is terrible and all thier electric bills went up three times.
I work at and live near one. I have zero objection. I love that my commute is short enough to get to work by bicycle.
We use less water than an average lawyer office - mostly the toilets. All of the generators added together make less noise than a landscape crew working on my neighbors house. Our building construction actually added electrical capacity to our county.
I accept that many other companies do it wrong. We do not. The industry is not monolithic. There are some bad actors that make us look bad.
Good, AI needs to go away