A recent poll by Morning Consult reveals that public opposition to building artificial intelligence data centers in local communities has reached its highest level in ten months. For the first time since November, support for banning nearby data center construction outpolled opposition, with 45 percent of voters favoring local bans.

Rising Utility Concerns

Rising utility costs and resource demands drive much of the pushback. Among voters supporting a ban on local data center construction, 48 percent point to higher electricity bills as a main reason, while 45 percent cite water usage and 42 percent express concern over power grid strain.

Overall, two out of three voters attribute rising electricity bills to data center expansion. Additionally, 46 percent of voters now say the AI buildout negatively affects water prices, up 14 percentage points since October.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.