Hardly a week goes by without news of another US town or city pushing back against a proposed AI data centre in its backyard. Residents worry about the rising electricity costs, excessive water consumption, noise pollution and other burdens their communities will have to shoulder to sustain these power-guzzling behemoths.
A recent Gallup survey finds that seven in 10 Americans oppose building AI data centres in local communities. Hundreds of related bills have been introduced in state legislatures this year, and lawmakers in at least 11 states have proposed moratoria on new construction while they study projects' potential impact.
Meanwhile, tech executives warn that if data-centre construction in the US is slowed by local opposition and regulation, China will win the race for AI supremacy. But although Chinese developers face little institutional resistance to such projects, it is far from obvious that China's aggressive expansion has given the country a decisive edge.
