'Explosion' of Data Centres Has Claimed Many Victims, Residents Cry Out

The construction of data centre infrastructure for artificial intelligence (AI) systems is already claiming victims in the United States. Residents in several states have experienced worsening water quality and ballooning electricity bills. This is because AI data centre operations consume vast amounts of water and electricity. There are also other complaints related to the loss of green spaces to make way for giant data centre buildings in several areas. The significant impact on the daily lives of US citizens has triggered a wave of opposition to data centre construction. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only one in three US citizens approve of AI data centre construction. More people voiced opposition to data centres being built in the areas where they live. The survey results reflect the discomfort of US citizens regarding the data centre boom in the superpower nation. This issue is becoming a focus for voters ahead of the midterm elections on November 3, 2026. As is known, President Donald Trump’s administration has prioritised massive AI development. The reason is that Trump does not want the US to lose out to China in the AI sector, which is touted to change the world’s future. Trump has even asked federal agencies to accelerate permits for AI-related infrastructure. The Reuters poll was conducted over six days involving 4,531 US citizens across all states. The results showed that only 33% of US citizens agree with massive and rapid data centre construction. The remaining 64% flatly rejected it. Support for massive and rapid data centre construction mostly came from Republican groups rather than Democrats. As many as 57% of survey respondents, including two-thirds of Democrats and half of Republicans, also said they oppose data centres being built in their residential areas. Only 14% said they had no problem if a data centre was built near their homes. There are currently 710 data centres operating in the US. Meanwhile, 1,062 new data centre projects are still in the planning stage, according to Cleanview, a research firm that monitors data centre construction.