Poll: Most US voters oppose AI data centers, but neither party holds a clear edge
A new New York Times and Siena University poll shows most American voters oppose data center construction for AI, though the issue ranks low as a priority for the midterm elections and neither major party enjoys a trust advantage on it.
A poll released Tuesday by the New York Times and Siena University confirms a trend already visible elsewhere: data centers built to power AI technology are deeply unpopular among American voters. Conducted in early September, before the recent debate over slowing AI safety measures, the survey of 1,503 likely voters found 61 percent opposed to data center construction, while only 14 percent said they strongly support it.
Opinions split sharply along political lines. Voters who backed Donald Trump in 2024 were roughly evenly divided, with 49 percent in support and 45 percent opposed. By contrast, those who voted for Kamala Harris, as well as people who didn't vote at all, leaned heavily toward opposition, at 74 percent and 67 percent respectively.
Top reasons for opposition
Among voters opposed to data centers, 56 percent said they'd favor limits on construction, while 38 percent preferred an outright ban. The most cited reason for opposition was environmental impact and water usage, at 32 percent, followed by effects on local communities at 21 percent, general distrust or dislike of AI at 18 percent, regulatory concerns at 10 percent, and economic worries at 9 percent.
The findings echo other recent surveys: an NBC News poll in March found AI polling worse than ICE, and a Gallup poll in May showed seven in ten Americans opposed to local AI data center construction.
Low priority despite the backlash
Despite the widespread disapproval, AI and data centers ranked low among issues voters said would shape their midterm vote. Across most demographic groups, the topic registered below one percent, with one notable exception — voters aged 18 to 29, where three percent named it as a top concern, compared to more popular answers like the economy, foreign policy, inflation, and opposition to Trump and Republicans. Among the poll's 554 respondents, 40 percent said they trust Democrats more to handle the issue, 42 percent trusted Republicans more, and 18 percent said they didn't know or declined to answer.
