New polling from consulting firm Milltown Partners, shared exclusively with Axios, reveals that opposition to data centers is driven less by immediate neighborhood concerns and more by symbolic anger over the perceived costs of an AI-driven future. Just 8% of respondents who oppose data centers report knowing of one near their home, suggesting the backlash is not a classic NIMBY movement.
The findings underscore how data centers have become a proxy for broader unease about artificial intelligence. Many Americans fear they will bear the economic burden of a technology they did not actively choose, according to the poll. This sentiment is emerging even though direct opposition to data centers has not yet reached a majority.
The public remains divided. While 38% of respondents would support a data center being built near their home, 34% would oppose it. More strikingly, 49% support a temporary moratorium on new data center construction, with only 16% opposing such a ban. Another 27% are neutral, and 8% are unsure.
The gap between local acceptance and broader moratorium support suggests voters are not categorically anti-data center but are wary of unchecked expansion. The findings indicate policymakers may face increasing pressure to pause development, even in areas where direct local opposition is weak.
Milltown Partners, which advises leading AI labs and tech startups, conducted the polling. The data was shared first with Axios and has not been independently verified.