US political parties unite against AI data centres ahead of midterms

Both major United States political parties are coalescing around opposition to artificial intelligence data centres as the midterm elections approach. According to a report from MIT Technology Review, the backlash has moved beyond technical debates and onto the campaign trail, driven primarily by cross-party concerns regarding energy consumption and climate impact.

Republican opposition to the facilities has sharpened significantly in recent weeks. The governor of Texas has publicly declared that data centres have “dug their own grave,” a statement that underscores the growing political risk associated with the infrastructure boom. This sentiment is not confined to one side of the aisle, as Democrats are also voicing concerns about the environmental footprint of the sector.

Public sentiment appears to be shifting in tandem with political rhetoric. A new poll indicates that support for data centres in the US has plummeted, suggesting that voters are increasingly sceptical of the industry’s promises. This drop in approval has been highlighted by industry observers, including Max Steele, Senior Director of Communications at Everytown, who reacted to the polling data on social media.

The political pressure has already resulted in legislative action. New York has become the first US state to enact a data centre moratorium, a move that signals a potential template for other jurisdictions. As worries about climate change and energy independence gain prominence, they are drowning out earlier concerns about nuclear meltdowns and radioactive waste.

This shift has coincided with a surge in demand for nuclear power to support the facilities. While building traditional nuclear power plants is expensive and slow, advocates hope that next-generation technologies, such as small modular reactors, can reinvent the industry. These new designs are experimenting with different fuels and coolants, aiming to replace fossil fuels without emitting greenhouse gases.

The broader context of this political shift includes other recent developments in the AI sector. The US has lifted restrictions on Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable models, while Meta has stated that its AI hacked another company. Additionally, OpenAI has unveiled its long-awaited “super app,” further intensifying the competitive landscape in which these data centres operate.