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The AI Infrastructure Boom Is Running into a Trust Problem
The rapid growth of AI infrastructure, particularly hyperscale data centers, is encountering mounting public resistance over energy use, water consumption, and concerns about who benefits from the AI boom. But according to new research from Milltown Partners published in June 2026, the backlash may have less to do with the facilities themselves and more to do with broader concerns about artificial intelligence and the companies behind it.
The researchers surveyed 6,872 registered U.S. voters, including voters in Texas, Georgia, Michigan, California, and North Carolina, where major data center projects are underway.
The findings suggest that opposition to data centers is increasingly linked to distrust about AI, Big Tech, and economic fairness.
Americans remain divided on data center development, with supporters, opponents, and undecided voters split into equal groups.
However, the report found that attitudes toward AI and large technology companies were a stronger indicator of opposition than whether someone lived near a data center.
That finding challenges the idea that resistance is simply a "not in my backyard" issue. As the report notes, "Opposition to data centers is not primarily driven by proximity, but by broader concerns about AI, Big Tech, and economic fairness."
Instead, data centers are becoming a visible symbol of wider concerns about AI adoption and the growing influence of large technology companies.
Resource use remains one of the biggest concerns. Respondents pointed to rising energy demand, water consumption, and pressure on local infrastructure as key objections. As AI models become larger and more powerful, the industry will need significant new data center capacity to support them.
Economic concerns also featured heavily in the research. Many respondents questioned whether the benefits of AI infrastructure would be shared by local communities or flow primarily to large technology companies. Concerns about affordability, fairness, and corporate influence appeared throughout the findings.
For the tech industry, which presents a challenge that goes beyond permits and construction. Building public support for AI infrastructure may require addressing broader concerns about trust, transparency, and the real-world benefits of AI.
As cloud providers and hyperscale operators continue investing billions of dollars in AI infrastructure, the debate is likely to intensify. The report suggests the industry's biggest challenge may not be building the technology but convincing the public that the benefits outweigh the costs.
As the researchers concluded, "the backlash against data centers is about more than data centers."