Revolt against AI opens new rift in American politics
A growing backlash against AI data centers is creating a new political rift in the US, with environmental and resource concerns driving significant opposition. This sentiment led to a major upset in a Utah Republican primary, where an incumbent state senator lost his seat due to his support for a large data center project. The issue is gaining national attention, impacting elections and prompting proposed federal legislation.
A significant political shift is underway in the United States as a popular backlash against data centers, particularly those supporting artificial intelligence, is dividing the Republican party and influencing elections. In Utah, challenger Stephanie Hollist unseated long-serving State Senate President J. Stuart Adams in a Republican primary, largely due to public opposition to the Stratos project, a large AI data center approved by Adams near the Great Salt Lake. Hollist framed the issue as government officials being unresponsive to local concerns, a sentiment that resonated with voters.
National surveys by Gallup indicate widespread opposition to data center construction in local areas, surpassing even nuclear energy plants. This opposition, described as a 'national AI backlash,' unites diverse groups from rural conservatives to climate advocates, driven by concerns over water use, electricity demand, noise, air quality, and land use. Data Center Watch reports that at least 75 projects across 29 states, valued at $130 billion, have been blocked or delayed by local opposition in the first three months of the year.
The issue has also reached the federal level, with Senators Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposing a temporary ban on AI data centers with high power demands until federal safeguards are established. Political figures like Donald Trump have engaged with tech companies, securing pledges from Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI, and Amazon regarding their power infrastructure. However, Trump also intervened against a lawsuit filed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) against xAI data centers in Tennessee over emissions.
Kevin O’Leary, the celebrity investor behind the Stratos project, initially resisted calls to scale down, attributing opposition to foreign influence, specifically China, though he later retracted the claim. Despite O'Leary eventually agreeing to downsize, Adams’ association with the project proved too damaging, leading to his defeat. Two Box Elder County commission members who supported the project also lost their seats. The status of the Stratos project remains unclear, with two lawsuits having been filed against it.