4 September 2026

Poll finds 70 percent of Americans oppose local data centers

First reported

CBS News ran this on , 4 days before the next source picked it up.

  • A survey showed that seven in ten Americans do not want data centers, the large facilities that power AI systems, built near their homes.
  • Republicans are beginning to blame technology companies for community opposition to data centers, framing it as a political issue.
  • Data centers require significant electricity and resources to operate the computer servers that train and run AI models.

How it was covered

TransformerShakeel Hashim

A new GOP narrative is emerging that blames tech companies for data center backlash, as 70 percent of Americans oppose local data centers in their communities.

Reported by CBS News