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Or sign-in if you have an account.Community members protest at a hearing about the approval of a new AI data center in Pocatello, Idaho, on May 14, 2026. A recent Gallup poll found that 71 per cent of Americans oppose local AI data centers, compared with 53 per cent who oppose nearby nuclear plants. Photo by Natalie Behring/Getty ImagesSpeakers promoting AI are getting booed at universities, voters are rebelling against data centers, and even AI-friendly Trump administration officials are starting to retreat as an backlash gathers pace across the United States.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. 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Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe rapid spread of the emerging technology is seeing early enthusiasm give way to concerns about unemployment, rising costs, misinformation and security.“People are thinking about what their future is going to look like. That existential fear is a very animating anxiety,” said Christabel Randolph, acting executive director at the Center for AI and Digital Policy, a Washington-based think tank.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againFormer Google CEO Eric Schmidt got a taste of that feeling Friday when he was delivering a graduation speech at the University of Arizona.Wearing a black academic gown and a tassel-topped cap, Schmidt urged students not to fear the AI-fueled technological transformation that he said will “touch every profession, every classroom, every hospital, every laboratory, every person and every relationship you have.”Instead of clapping, his speech prompted loud boos.According to opinion polling cited by the Semafor news outlet, 70 per cent of Americans think AI is moving too fast, over 50 per cent have negative views of it, and just 18 per cent of young people feel hopeful about it.With the U.S. economy battered by stubborn inflation and the tech industry seeing AI-fuelled layoffs, young Americans fear their costly university degrees, many paid for with large student loans, will be rendered useless by AI, leaving them without jobs and pay.When Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Records, tried to tell Middle Tennessee State University graduates to embrace inevitable change, he too got a hostile reception.“You can hear me now or you can pay me later,” he quipped. “Do something about it, it’s a tool, make it work for you.”Booing followed.AI expansion is driving a massive build-out of data centers — and that infrastructure is now becoming a political flashpoint.Data centers consume large amounts of electricity and can raise utility costs, which has seen local officials supporting AI projects suffering losses at the ballot box in recent months. Some of the discontent has spilled into violence.Last month, a young man threw a Molotov cocktail at the California home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. In a separate incident a few days earlier, a city council member in the state of Indiana had his door struck by gunfire after he expressed support for a data center construction project.A note the attackers left under his doormat read “No Data Centers.” U.S. President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order curbing states’ ability to regulate artificial intelligence, something for which the tech industry had been lobbying, Dec. 11, 2025. Lately, Trump has begun to urge caution over AI development. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty ImagesRandolph, the AI expert, cited a May Gallup poll showing that AI data centers are even less popular than nuclear power plants, with 71 per cent of Americans opposing local AI data centers compared with 53 per cent opposed to nearby nuclear plants.“Americans are really, really angry and upset about AI data centers because of the noise, the pollution, the impact on their electricity bills, on water supplies,” she told AFP, adding that AI expansion will be a key issue in the November midterms and possibly in the 2028 presidential vote.“It’s becoming a very relevant political issue,” she added.The Trump administration itself appears to be changing its stance.Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Donald Trump has positioned himself as an advocate for rapid AI development, rolling back Biden-era safety requirements and dismissing regulation as a constraint on U.S. competitiveness with China.But in recent months, the administration announced that it wants to vet AI models before they are released, urged Congress to adopt nationwide regulations on AI and discussed AI guardrails with China.Asked about the risks of AI on Fox News’ “Mornings with Maria” program last month, Trump answered:“There are a lot of good things, but we have to be careful with it.”Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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