Voters mostly don’t like AI and data centers, but neither party seems to have an edge

A New York Times/Siena University poll found that 61% of likely voters oppose building data centers to power AI, while only 14% strongly support them. Opposition is especially high among Kamala Harris voters and nonvoters, while 2024 Trump voters are more evenly split.

The findings suggest AI infrastructure has become a local and national political liability, especially as concerns grow over energy use, water demand, and community impacts. Because neither party has a clear edge, candidates may increasingly frame data center policy around cost, jobs, and accountability rather than blanket support for AI expansion.