Water and energy usage are what worry us most about data centers

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: In a previous wave, we found bipartisan dislike for AI data centers. Since then, there has only been more pushback in the news. So we wondered just how concerned people are, and what exactly they’re concerned about. Note this fielded BEFORE the recent comments by former AI developers, who asserted that AI has the potential to wipe out humanity before today’s kindergarteners make it through high school.   

What we found: A plurality are very concerned (37%) and a sizeable majority (69%) are concerned. That’s pretty consistent across age groups. Only 9% are not at all concerned. Democrats are more concerned (80%), but a majority of Republicans are too (59%).

When it comes to what they’re concerned about, strains on water (50%) and energy supplies (41%) top the list. Personal concerns are lower on the list, as are environmental concerns about air pollution, noise pollution and carbon emissions. Democrats are more concerned about everything except loss of rural character and long-term job creation. Younger folks are two to three times as likely as other age groups to say they’re worried about the degree to which data center construction is propping up the entire U.S. economy.