Gallup Poll: 71% of U.S. Adults Oppose AI Data Centers Nearby, 27% Support

U.S. adults surveyed do not want an AI data center built near them. Of those, 48% strongly oppose construction while 27% of all respondents supported it, including 7% who strongly favor one.

The randomized national telephone survey of 1,000 adults was conducted from March 2-18. It carried a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. This was the first time Gallup has asked about AI data centers near respondents.

The polling organization cited fierce opposition from local residents in many parts of the country as a reason for including the question. Jeffrey M. Jones, a Gallup senior editor, wrote that data centers house computing equipment that helps power AI technology used by businesses, universities and other institutions.

"The centers cover large areas of land, require extensive amounts of electricity to operate and need substantial water to cool the equipment, raising concerns about their impact on the environment and local electric bills," he added. Opposition to AI data centers surpassed resistance to nuclear facilities.

Gallup found that 53% of adults surveyed opposed building a nuclear power plant in their area, down from a high of 63% in surveys dating back to 2001.

Among those opposed to AI data centers, half cited the impact on local resources as their main concern. Another 22% flagged quality-of-life issues, including rising property values, while 20% cited the effect on their living costs. Sixteen percent mentioned pollution.

Fourteen percent worried about economic impacts and 14% expressed general negative views of AI. A follow-up April web survey showed that 18% of opponents cited excessive water and energy use, 10% said they disliked AI technology and 4% said they do not trust it. Forty-six percent of all respondents said they worry a great deal about the impact of data centers on the environment.

The NIMBY sentiment crossed party lines but varied in intensity. Fifty-six percent of self-identified Democrats expressed a not-in-my-backyard attitude toward AI data centers, compared with 48% of independents and 39% of Republicans.

The findings arrive as data centers proliferate to meet demand for AI computing. Jones noted that the facilities' large footprints, power demands and water needs have fueled local pushback in multiple states.