Voters Divided on AI Data Centers, Concerned About Local Impact, Fox News Poll Finds
A majority opposes facilities in their communities, favoring remote locations, as AI becomes a political wedge issue ahead of the midterm elections.
A significant majority of voters are wary of artificial intelligence data centers being built in their communities, according to the latest Fox News national survey. While 71% oppose such facilities locally, a slim majority of 52% favor their construction in remote locations, highlighting a "Not In My Backyard" (NIMBY) sentiment.
This divide is apparent across different community types, with roughly 70% of urban, suburban, and rural voters opposing data centers in their immediate areas. The opposition softens when considering remote sites, where 50% of urban and 57% of suburban voters express favorability, though 51% of rural voters remain opposed.
Concerns about the potential strain on local resources, such as water supplies, and increased energy bills contribute to this opposition. Voters are also apprehensive about the potential for these centers to grow to an enormous size. However, support for data centers increases when voters are informed about their necessity for essential online activities like streaming and banking, critical infrastructure, and maintaining a competitive edge against other nations.
Demographic patterns show women, White voters without a college degree, and Democrats are more likely to oppose data centers compared to men, nonwhite voters, college graduates, and Republicans. These demographic trends largely mirror those regarding the overall perception of AI technology.
Overall voter sentiment towards AI is predominantly negative. Majorities believe AI will be detrimental to the U.S. economy, mental health, society, the environment, and jobs. The only area where AI is viewed more positively than negatively is in day-to-day life, though this positive outlook has diminished since previous surveys.
AI has emerged as a political wedge issue in the lead-up to the midterm elections. The poll indicates that voters who view AI favorably tend to support Republican candidates, while those with unfavorable views lean towards Democratic candidates. Democrats are also perceived to be better equipped to handle the construction of AI data centers, with a significant lead among younger voters, Black voters, Hispanic voters, and independents.
The survey also touched on related technological concerns. Three-quarters of voters support banning AI in kindergarten through eighth-grade classrooms, with strong backing from mothers. A similar high level of support exists for banning cellphones in K-12 classrooms. Additionally, a majority supports prohibiting police departments from using automated license plate readers, with notable divisions along age lines.
The Fox News Poll was conducted from September 11-14, 2026, surveying 1,211 registered voters nationwide. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points.