Data center protests have become a national sport, despite only 8% of opponents actually living near one | Fortune

AI data centers face growing backlash in US

US opposition to AI data centers surged: 70% of Americans oppose local facilities, 14 states pursue moratoriums, and $130B in projects were blocked or delayed in early 2026. Grassroots resistance is now the primary constraint on US AI infrastructure scaling, forcing corporate deployment rethinks and shifting competitive advantage to rival jurisdictions globally.