Big Tech Faces Data Center Backlash

U.S. data center construction rose 57% from July 2025 to July 2026, according to Census Bureau data, even as local opposition has made AI-linked projects a major political issue. More than half of Americans used an AI chatbot in July, while communities fighting server-farm projects cite power demand, water use, noise and land impacts. President Donald Trump has publicly urged communities to accept data centers, and Big Tech is funding ads aimed at countering the backlash. The fight is spilling into midterm politics, with activists, industry groups and donors organizing around permitting and local control.