US midterm elections: Backlash to AI data centres reaches ballot boxes
Republican backer Elon Musk posted "data centers in space looking pretty appealing right now" as Democrats win control of US Congress.
The US midterm elections featured a backlash against artificial intelligence data centres, with Democratic candidates pledging their commitment to halt development and win in Texas, Georgia, and Ohio. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center poll, more than half of Americans felt fear rather than excitement towards AI, and expressed concern over the energy consumption, noise, pollution, and land usage associated with data centres.
In the second half of 2026, at least 45 projects were halted due to local opposition, according to Data Center Watch. President Donald Trump previously hailed the growth of data centres, dismissing safety concerns as a hoax. However, the election results showed that over 50% of voters considered AI and data centres as a crucial or major factor in their decision.
Texas, which attracted major tech companies with tax incentives, saw a shift in policy following a Democratic governor's push to temporarily halt new constructions. Elon Musk suggested the election result opened the door to constructing data centres in space. Ohio saw fierce opposition to data centres, with 15 municipalities banning or restricting their development, leading Meta and Amazon to abandon their plans for new facilities.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
