61% of Voters Oppose AI Data Centers as Parties Split 42%-40% on Trust
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 15
61% of Voters Oppose AI Data Centers as Parties Split 42%-40% on Trust
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 15
Summary
A New York Times/Siena poll found 61% of voters oppose building the large data centers that power AI, giving candidates in both parties a reason to distance themselves from the projects.
Trust on AI is nearly even ahead of the midterms: 42% of voters said Republicans are better equipped to handle the issue, while 40% chose Democrats.
75% of Democrats opposed data center construction, and even among Republicans opposition reached 47%, underscoring that AI infrastructure skepticism cuts across party lines.
Nearly 80% of voters under 30 opposed new data centers, while opposition eased with age to a still-majority 53% among voters 65 and older.
The poll suggests AI remains politically unsettled less than two months before the elections, with neither party yet owning a clear national message on regulation or expansion.