Those Oklahomans that some critics called members of the “tinfoil hat crowd” for their opposition to proposed data centers certainly have a lot of others like them across the U.S.
So suggests a new Gallup poll that says Oklahomans who are fighting data centers in Coweta, Broken Arrow, Sand Springs, Piedmont, Luther and Yukon and elsewhere aren’t any different than Americans throughout the country.
The poll released Wednesday revealed 7 in 10 Americans “oppose constructing data centers for artificial intelligence in their local area.” It found nearly half or 48% are “strongly” opposed while barely a quarter support the projects. Among supporters, 7% are strongly in favor.
Gallup explained the survey was taken March 2-18 and was the first time the polling group did a poll on data center construction.
“These data centers house computing equipment that helps power AI technology used by businesses, universities and other institutions. The centers cover large areas of land, require extensive amounts of electricity to operate and need substantial water to cool the equipment, raising concerns about their impact on the environment and local electric bills,” stated Gallup in releasing the survey results.
Gallup explained the survey results were similar to questions about local nuclear power plant construction and 53% of Americans opposed construction of a nuclear energy plant in their area. It appeared that Americans are more opposed to data center construction than the building of nuclear power plants.
The following is some of how Gallup reported its survey results about data centers:
Opposition Tied to Environmental, Quality-of-Life Concerns
The March survey asked people to rate their level of concern about the environmental impact of AI data centers. Forty-six percent say they worry a great deal and 24% a fair amount, largely mirroring the degrees of opposition to data center construction.
To gain a deeper understanding of people’s reasons for favoring or opposing data center construction in their area, Gallup asked an open-ended question on an April web survey using the Gallup Panel. Americans who favor the building of a data center in their area mostly cite the potential economic benefits. Opponents of data centers have more varied reasons for their position, but they focus mostly on environmental concerns.
Half of opponents mention data centers’ excessive use of resources, including 18% each mentioning their use of water and energy. Sixteen percent mention a related environmental concern of pollution, including noise pollution and air and water pollution.
About one in five opponents are concerned with the impact on local quality of life, including increased population, increased traffic and preferring that the land be used for other purposes. A similar share mention potentially negative economic consequences, including higher utility bills, cost-of-living increases, and the cost of building the data centers (which could involve the use of taxpayer funds).
Most of the remaining opposition stems from general or specific concerns about artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of those in favor of building data centers in their area cite the economic benefits, including 55% who mention increased job opportunities specifically. Others mention increased tax revenue (13%), housing and infrastructure development, and general economic benefits.
Smaller shares of data center proponents mention the potential benefits of AI to technology or themselves, personally.
Majority of Democrats Strongly Oppose Data Centers
Majorities of all major demographic groups, including all party groups, say they would oppose having a data center built where they live. However, Democrats are much more likely than Republicans to be strongly opposed, 56% vs. 39%, with independents between the two at 48%.
Women (55%) are also more likely than men (43%) to register strong opposition to data center construction.
There are no meaningful differences in total opposition by age, race, education, income or urbanicity. Opposition is slightly lower among those living in the West (63%) and East (68%) than in the Midwest (76%) and South (75%).
Environmental concerns are a bigger source of differences in opposition to data center construction. Seventy-eight percent of U.S. adults who worry about the quality of the environment oppose data center construction, compared with 52% who are not worried.
That is a far bigger gap in opposition to data centers than is seen among those who are worried (73%) versus not worried (65%) about the availability and affordability of energy.
Click here for remainder of Gallup poll results