WorkThe story, in brief
Americans do not want AI data centers in their backyards
70% of Americans would rather live next to a nuclear plant. Here's why AI infrastructure just became a political flashpoint.
The KeyNews take
Why it matters
Public opposition to AI data center construction is now a material constraint on compute expansion. Companies planning $100B+ infrastructure buildouts face a societal legitimacy crisis that regulators will weaponize.
The key facts
5 to know70% of Americans oppose AI data center construction in their area
Only 7% strongly favor new data centers
Americans prefer nuclear power plants to AI data centers (63% vs 70% opposition)
Gallup survey: 1,000 adults (March 2026) + 2,054 panel members (April 2026)
Data from all 50 US states and DC
Go to the source
The Verge AItheverge.com
Publisher excerpt: Over 70 percent of Americans oppose AI data center construction in their area, according to a new Gallup survey. Just 7 percent said they were "strongly" in favor of new data centers. According to Gallup, data centers are so strongly disliked that Americans would prefer to live near a nuclear power…