Would you rather live by a nuclear power plant or an AI data center?

Many Americans have become disillusioned with the presence of AI-powering data centers in their communities, so much so that they dislike them more than nuclear power plants. A new Gallup poll found that 71 percent of respondents are opposed to the construction of data centers in their area. By comparison, 53 percent of respondents said they were opposed to nuclear power plants where they live.

Not only do many Americans dislike data centers, they seriously dislike them — 48 percent said they were strongly opposed and 23 percent were somewhat opposed. Conversely, 20 percent somewhat support data center construction near them while only 7 percent strongly support it. Among the many dissenters, the largest concern is consumption, with 50 percent saying their biggest concern is the centers’ strain on local resources. Twenty-two percent cited quality-of-life concerns like property values, 14 percent mentioned pollution concerns, and 12 percent said they were worried about AI taking jobs from human workers.