As the artificial intelligence boom continues, a stark new poll is placing the industry's physical footprint under growing scrutiny. Americans are increasingly turning against data centers.
According to Heatmap, roughly 70% of Americans now say they would oppose a data center project near where they live, a dramatic reversal from just months ago.
The survey, conducted by Embold Research, found that 55% of Americans would "strongly" oppose a nearby data center and another 16% would "somewhat" oppose one; only 21% would support a project in their area.
That marks a major shift from September, when Americans were nearly split on the issue. Heatmap reported that sentiment moved 49 points in the anti-data center direction over nine months.
Americans have seemingly changed their minds about data centers.
Opposition showed up across regions and demographics, with especially strong resistance among young people, Democrats, and rural residents.
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Data centers are critical to the digital economy, and they are especially important to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence. AI can offer benefits, including helping utilities forecast electricity demand, integrate renewable energy, and optimize grid operations.
But the infrastructure behind those tools also consumes enormous amounts of electricity and water, raises concerns about cybersecurity and misuse, and drives up household energy costs if grid upgrade costs or price spikes are passed on to customers.
Heatmap Pro data released last month found that public opposition helped kill at least 20 data center projects in the first quarter of the year, more than twice the tally from the previous quarter.
Those canceled developments accounted for over $41 billion in planned investment and no less than 3.5 gigawatts of electricity demand.
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The debate goes beyond abstract conversations about tech growth. It touches on land use, utility bills, water supplies, and whether communities have a say in projects tied to the AI economy.
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