Poll: 61% of Likely Voters Oppose AI Data Centers, but Neither Party Gains an Edge

A new poll from the New York Times and Siena University released Tuesday found that 61 percent of 1,503 likely voters oppose the construction of data centers built to power AI technology, with only a minority backing the projects. The results land as both parties try to calibrate their messaging on artificial intelligence ahead of the next election cycle. The survey paints a picture of an issue that is broadly disliked but not yet politically decisive.

The unpopularity is not confined to one coalition. Opposition to AI data centers shows up among Republicans, Democrats and independents alike, according to the poll, which complicates any attempt by either party to claim the issue as its own. That even split helps explain why neither side has moved aggressively to stake out a clear position. Politicians have already started responding to the sentiment, even where the polling advantage is unclear.

The numbers matter because data centers are the physical backbone of the AI boom. Companies including Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Meta have committed tens of billions of dollars to new facilities, and those projects need land, water and enormous amounts of electricity. Local opposition has slowed or blocked projects in several states, turning zoning hearings and utility rate cases into the front line of the AI debate. A national poll showing 61 percent opposition gives those local fights a broader political frame.

The survey size of 1,503 likely voters puts the margin of error in the roughly 3-point range, typical for a national sample of that scale. The finding aligns with earlier polling that has shown low public trust in AI and growing concern about its costs, from power bills to water use. Voters appear to be separating the technology from the infrastructure it requires, and the infrastructure is where the resistance concentrates.

What remains open is whether the sentiment hardens into a voting issue or fades as AI services become more embedded in daily life. Watch whether candidates in competitive races start opposing specific data center projects, and whether utilities and developers adjust siting strategies in response. For now, the poll suggests the politics of AI infrastructure are still unsettled, and neither party has found a message that breaks through.