Resistance to data center construction across the United States continues to intensify, with roughly 45 projects collectively valued at $68 billion being shelved or delayed between April and June this year due to local opposition, according to research firm Data Center Watch.
The firm's report, shared with Bloomberg News on Monday, reveals that communities nationwide are actively pushing for moratoriums on new data center permits, often initiating these efforts before developers even file formal applications. Some 30 state legislatures have now introduced or passed regulations addressing data center siting, electricity supply, and water usage.
This study quantifies the mounting anxiety surrounding the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, including the massive construction of new computing clusters and AI's increasing integration into daily life. A total of 843 opposition groups have emerged across 49 states, excluding Hawaii.
Where the opposition is forming
"New opposition groups keep emerging, voices of dissent are spreading across more states and regions, and online petition signatures continue to grow," said Miquel Vila, lead analyst at Data Center Watch, a project under AI intelligence firm 10a Labs.
As the world's most concentrated hub for AI infrastructure investment, the United States now faces a bipartisan backlash. Critics contend these facilities harm the environment and consume vast amounts of resources to support AI systems that many fear could threaten jobs and livelihoods.
Meanwhile, tech giants including Amazon, Meta Platforms Inc., Microsoft, and Alphabet—collectively known as "hyperscalers"—argue that building out this infrastructure is essential to winning the AI race against China and developing transformative technologies that could reshape the world.
President Donald Trump has dismissed opposition to data centers and concerns about AI development as a "sick conspiracy," stating that "the only ones happy about this are China." He has also voiced opposition to implementing safety guardrails for AI, suggesting that America's "high-IQ presidents" are sufficient oversight.
Global ripple effects
With resistance mounting internationally, Data Center Watch has expanded its monitoring scope beyond U.S. borders for the first time in its two-year research history. Similar to the American pattern, overseas opposition focuses on specific projects, government planning approvals, and resource consumption, occasionally coalescing into coordinated national campaigns.
The firm specifically highlighted opposition activities in several European countries, Australia, and South Africa. "Like many trends, the U.S. typically leads the way, but this is increasingly becoming a global phenomenon," Vila noted. "As data center construction expands worldwide, we anticipate this trend will only become more pronounced."
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