The AI backlash turns physical: Firebombs, gunfire and a rezoning fight over the industry’s future

The article highlights a growing physical backlash against the artificial intelligence (AI) industry and its infrastructure, exemplified by two violent incidents. In San Francisco, an individual allegedly firebombed OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's home and later fired a round at his property, driven by anti-AI sentiments. Days earlier, in Indianapolis, City-County Councilman Ron Gibson's home was shot 13 times, with a note explicitly stating "No Data Centers," following his support for a $500 million rezoning for a data center project by Metrobloks. These attacks coincide with significant legislative actions against data centers. Maine recently enacted LD 307, the nation's first statewide moratorium on large data centers (over 20 megawatts), pausing permitting until October 2027 to study their cumulative impact on electricity rates and the environment. Additionally, at least 12 other states, including New York, Vermont, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Maryland, have introduced similar bills, while Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposed the federal AI Data Center Moratorium Act. Community resistance to data center development is widespread, with Data Center Watch identifying 142 active opposition groups in 24 states, responsible for blocking or delaying billions in projects. Common grievances include noise from cooling fans, heavy water consumption in drought-stressed areas, and higher utility rates without perceived local benefits. Public support for data centers in Northern Virginia, a major hub, has significantly declined. This backlash reflects a broader shift in public sentiment, particularly among young adults, regarding AI's societal impact, including concerns over job automation and economic displacement. The report also notes internal tensions within the AI industry, with companies like OpenAI and Anthropic engaged in public disputes over revenue figures and safety commitments, further fueling the volatile environment surrounding the future of technology and its infrastructure.