Where Republicans and Democrats stand on AI data centers

Artificial intelligence has quickly become one of today’s most watched topics.

But broadly speaking, Americans aren’t so hot on the technology.

And ask Americans about one AI's most visible infrastructure needs – data centers – and you'll find something rare: bipartisan skepticism.

Below are five charts exploring how Republicans and Democrats feel about AI data centers and what that might mean for the road ahead.

1. Low support. Overall, support for the construction of AI data centers is low. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to support the construction of data centers but are still more likely to oppose rather than support it.

2. Not in my backyard. Among both Democrats and Republicans, support for data centers drops even further when Americans are asked about data center construction in their community.

3. Two key partisan differences emerge along pre-existing fault lines. Whereas Democrats are more likely to express concern over the environmental impact of data centers, Republicans are more likely to support a reduced government role when it comes to data centers.

4. Silver linings. While both parties have their reservations, many also acknowledge some of the potential benefits of data centers, with Republicans being slightly more optimistic than Democrats. A similar pattern emerges when Americans are asked how they feel about the impact of AI on society more broadly: most say their opinions about AI are a mix of positive and negative, with Republicans also being slightly more positive than Democrats.

5. Neither party has strong support on the issue of AI. In fact, this holds even among partisans, with at least half of both Democrats and Republicans unsure which party’s approach they prefer more. In the political world, trusted voices on AI are few and far between.

Most of the partisan rifts on data centers come from unsurprising areas. Republicans have a stronger inclination for a more free-market approach, while Democrats are more cautious about environmental impacts. And while Republicans are slightly more optimistic about data centers, overall support for their construction remains low.

All things considered, AI data centers are not yet a divisive political issue. Instead, for the most part, it’s a rare area of partisan agreement.

That matches how both Democrats and Republicans feel about AI more broadly: mixed, but more negative than positive.

That said, it’s still early days for AI’s presence on the national political stage. There are many examples of political issues becoming more divisive over time. Watch this space.