Gallup: 70% oppose AI data centers

Gallup reported on May 13 that seven in 10 Americans oppose construction of an AI data center in their local area, a new measure of resistance as technology companies push a large U.S. buildout of computing infrastructure. (news.gallup.com) The survey found 71% opposition, including 48% who said they would strongly oppose such a project nearby, while 29% said they favored one. Gallup said the question was asked for the first time in a March 2-18 survey. The findings arrive as OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank expand Stargate, their multibillion-dollar U.S. data-center effort, and as developers face local fights over power, water and permitting. (consumeraffairs.com) (openai.com) ### How strong was the Gallup opposition reading? Gallup said 71% of Americans oppose an AI data center in their area, with 48% strongly opposed and 23% somewhat opposed. The same survey found 20% somewhat favored such construction and 7% strongly favored it. The March 2-18 survey was the first time Gallup asked the question, according to Gallup’s published findings. Other reports citing the release said respondents’ concerns centered on electricity use, water use and effects on quality of life. (news.gallup.com) ### Which projects are colliding with that sentiment? OpenAI said on January 21, 2025 that Stargate intended to invest $500 billion over four years in U.S. AI infrastructure, with $100 billion to be deployed immediately. OpenAI named SoftBank, Oracle and MGX as initial equity funders and said the buildout was underway in Texas while more campuses were being evaluated nationwide. (article.wn.com) OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank said on September 23, 2025 that they had added five U.S. Stargate sites, bringing planned capacity to nearly 7 gigawatts and investment to more than $400 billion over three years. The companies named sites in Shackelford County, Texas; Doña Ana County, New Mexico; Wisconsin; Lordstown, Ohio; and Milam County, Texas, and said Abilene, Texas, was already operating on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. (article.wn.com) OpenAI said on October 30, 2025 that it was expanding Stargate to Saline Township, Michigan, with a campus of more than one gigawatt. The company said construction was expected to begin in early 2026, the site would be developed by Related Digital, and DTE Energy would serve the campus using existing excess transmission capacity. (openai.com) ### What is slowing projects before construction starts? Construction Dive reported on April 22 that cancellations of data-center builds rose to 25 in 2025 from six in 2024, citing a research note from Baird analyst Justin Hauke. The report said developers were running into insufficient power, public opposition and proposed state laws meant to slow the pace of construction. (openai.com) Rob LoBuono, a principal at Gensler, said at the New York Build conference that “the number one concern” in the market was public sentiment. Brennan Church, engineering, procurement and construction director at Hut 8, said projects that appear viable on paper can fail on “power, permitting or labor.” (openai.com) ### Why are power and permits now part of the story? Projects above 1,000 megawatts are now becoming the benchmark, David Guarino of Green Street said in the Construction Dive report, a change that has increased the difficulty and cost of finding enough electricity. (constructiondive.com) The same report said some states were considering moratoriums and cited a Maine bill that would block builds above 20 megawatts until late 2027 if enacted. OpenAI’s own project descriptions have increasingly highlighted grid and water issues. In Michigan, the company said the campus would use a closed-loop cooling system to reduce water consumption and that required grid upgrades would be funded by the project rather than local ratepayers. (constructiondive.com) ### What should readers watch next? OpenAI said in September 2025 that additional U.S. Stargate sites would be announced after the first round of selections from more than 300 proposals across more than 30 states. The company said Oracle-developed sites and SoftBank-backed campuses were part of the next phase of the rollout. (constructiondive.com) Gallup’s March 2-18 field period and May 13 publication date give investors and local officials a fresh public-opinion baseline just as early-2026 construction timelines begin to come due. The next concrete markers are site-specific permit filings, utility commitments and construction starts from developers including OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank, Related Digital and DTE Energy. (openai.com) (article.wn.com) (openai.com)