DIGITAL INSIGHTS - AI Affects People's Feelings about Data Centers
This week, a new survey offers insights into people's readiness to embrace, and the struggles they have accepting, data centers. Plus, a bonus feature from SciLine.
By Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Digital Insights is a weekly feature usually appearing on Thursdays that explores the role of data centers in our region. These columns will focus on four areas: tracking the development of data centers in our area, exploring projected and actual tax revenue trends, explaining what data centers are and how they affect our daily lives, and reporting on research and emerging trends in the industry. These columns are made possible, in part, by a grant from Stack Infrastructure.
What do people think about data centers? A new poll by Echelon Insights suggests that age, family status, education, political leaning, the type of data center being constructed, and the proffers data centers make are critical determining factors.
Age
When it comes to support for data centers, look to the middle-aged.
When asked who would support and be more likely to support a hypothetical data center, people aged 35-49 were most likely to support (45%) the project. Next were people 18-34 (40%). Support plummets among the older set. Those aged 50-64 say just 33% support the project, while only 27% of people over 65.
Ask if people back a data center used for artificial intelligence (AI), and support plummets, but even then, 35-49 year olds are more likely to say they’d back it (26%). People aged 18-34 are slightly less supportive (23%), while support from those over 50 plummets to as low as 10% for those 65 and older.
Family Status
When it comes to supporting data centers, having kids makes all the difference.
Among adults — whether married, single and never married, or divorced/separated/widowed — support for building a generic data center receives poor support. Each group is between 33% and 36% supportive.
But when those adults have children, support surges. Parents are 48% in favor.
As with age, however, support craters if the proposed data center supports AI. Just 29% of parents would support such a building in their community.
Education
The trend lines by education levels are particularly interesting.
High school graduates and people with graduate degrees are more likely to support the idea of building a data center — 36% of high school graduates, 45% of people with graduate degrees. Those with some college (29%) or a bachelor’s degree (31%) offer more-tepid support.
Asked if support is there for an AI data center, support falls, but it falls most sharply among groups without graduate degrees. Some 28% of people with graduate degrees support AI data centers; among other educational levels, none is above 16%.
Political Leaning
Republicans and those who self-identify as conservative were far more likely than Democrats and liberals or independents to support data centers. Support for a generic data center is 49% among Republicans, but just 27% and 23% among Independents and Democrats.
Conservatives support data centers, too (45%), with moderates (35%) and liberals (25%) less supportive.
But again, if the question is support for AI data centers, support plummets across the board. Republican and conservative support falls to just 24% and 22% respectively. Among Independents and moderates it was 13% and 15%. And among Democrats it’s 13% and 15%
Proffers
The most surprising finding is how feelings about data centers change when people feel that data centers are paying for everything, or promising everything.
Echelon Insights asked how people would feel about data centers in their communities if developers:
Commit to paying the full cost of their electricity use and grid upgrades so local ratepayers do not face higher bills
Invest in new power generation and grid improvements to prevent strain on the local energy system
Reduce water use and replenish more water than they withdraw
Invest in local job training and workforce development related to construction and technology
Agree not to seek special tax breaks so local tax revenue supports public services
Among respondents across almost every area (age, income, education, etc…), support rarely falls below 50%.
The Takeaway
Concerns about AI technology — be its impact on people and society, or fears over an AI investment bubble — have people less supportive of data centers that support AI by a wide margin.
In other words, people aren’t sold. But then, AI is relatively new, with people just starting to come to terms with how much the technology is becoming intertwined with our lives. Time and education are likely to improve people’s feelings.
Also notable is that it’s the middle-aged who are generally more supportive of data center infrastructure. Why? Probably because those between 35 and 49 are likely more conscious of the extent to which they depend upon internet technology to manage their lives. From paying bills and streaming entertainment, to the saturation of technology in every field of work, the 24-7 exposure likely makes this group more aware of the extent to which they depend upon data centers to function.
Expect support among people over 50 to rise as the middle-aged grow older.
We’re just starting to come to terms with internet technology, how it affects our lives, and what it takes to make our use of that technology possible.
The Survey
Echelon Insights is a respected pollster in Northern Virginia that MediaBiasFactCheck rates as “Least Biased.”
Its polling on data centers involves eight questions as a part of its February 2026 Omnibus poll of verified voters. The poll surveyed 1,002 registered voters in the Likely Electorate and carried a margin of error of +/- 3.5%.
The Questions:
If a data center were planned for construction in your community within the next few months, would you support or oppose it?
If you knew that a proposed data center near you was being used to train artificial intelligence models, would this information make you more or less likely to support its construction?
If you knew that a proposed data center near you was being used to power digital services like online searches and video streaming, would this information make you more or less likely to support its construction?
Some companies have promised to take steps to reduce the negative impact of the data centers that they build. How would each of the following actions affect your opinion of data centers?
Commit to paying the full cost of their electricity use and grid upgrades so local ratepayers do not face higher bills
Invest in new power generation and grid improvements to prevent strain on the local energy system
Reduce water use and replenish more water than they withdraw
Invest in local job training and workforce development related to construction and technology
Agree not to seek special tax breaks so local tax revenue supports public services
Bonus
This week, the Advance took part in a media training session offered by SciLine on data centers and how they affect our communities. From what data centers are, to their electricity and water use, this online training featuring three top researchers from the University of California Riverside, the University of Michigan, and Boston University offers a well-balanced look at the backbone of the internet.
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