AI data centers are unpopular with most Americans

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker, fielded on Ipsos' Omnibus platform, asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked: Data center construction is already a hot topic in a lot of local political races. In one high-profile case, the Maine legislature recently became the first state to outright ban new construction, although the governor vetoed the bill because it lacked a carve-out for a specific project.  

What we found: Overall, data centers are not popular. Only 27% agree that AI data centers would significantly contribute to economic growth and job creation in their community. Only one in four say that the tech advancements outweigh the potential concerns. Data centers have a specific NIMBY problem, too. A majority would oppose having one in their community. Why? More than six in ten cite environmental impacts and energy usage. Democrats are much more likely to cite those concerns, but about half of Republicans do, too. 

But combined with the trust-in-AI-recommendations question, it’s interesting that in some cases Democrats are more in favor of the results, but more against the infrastructure. 

More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:

A positive signal on the economy: More people have money left over after bills

Higher-income Americans were twice as likely to have a bigger tax refund this year

If you trust AI recommendations generally, you trust them for most things

Americans are well aware of gas prices' rise

Seven years in, few see COVID as a threat

The Ipsos Vibe Check: Here's how Americans feel about the government this week

The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about?