NYT/Siena Poll: 61% of Likely U.S. Voters Oppose AI Data Center Construction
Summary
Updated Sep 16 — 42% trust GOP, 40% trust Democrats on AI; fewer than 1% name it their top midterm issue.
- • NYT/Siena poll: 61% of likely voters oppose building AI data centers
- • Only 14% strongly support; 56% of opponents favor regulation over outright ban
- • Democrats 75% oppose; Trump voters split nearly evenly at 49% support vs. 45% oppose
- • Top reasons for opposition: environmental/water impacts, community effects, AI distrust
Updates
42% trust GOP vs. 40% trust Democrats on AI — neither party holds a clear advantage
The NYT/Siena poll found nearly equal partisan trust on AI: 42% of voters trust the Republican Party and 40% trust Democrats to handle artificial intelligence, meaning neither party has established a clear edge on the issue heading into midterms.
Fewer than 1% name AI as their top midterm issue despite high media salience
Despite widespread media coverage and growing public concern about AI, fewer than 1% of respondents named AI as their most important midterm election issue — indicating AI remains a background anxiety rather than a top voting priority for most Americans.
Details
61% of likely voters oppose AI data center construction
NYT/Siena University poll of 1,503 likely U.S. voters, conducted September 8–13, 2026, found 61% oppose building data centers to power AI technology.
Only 14% strongly support data center construction
Just 14% of respondents strongly supported AI data center construction, with total support far outweighed by opposition across most demographic groups.
56% of opponents favor regulation, not ban
Among those opposed, 56% preferred limits or regulations on data centers rather than an outright ban (38%), suggesting firm but moderated opposition that could be shaped by policy.
Trump voters split nearly evenly: 49% vs. 45%
Among 2024 Trump voters, 49% supported and 45% opposed AI data center construction — the narrowest partisan gap in the survey, indicating this is not a purely partisan issue.
Harris voters 74% oppose; Democrats 75% oppose
Harris voters opposed at 74% and Democrats overall at 75%, making AI infrastructure an increasingly significant liability on the left. Non-voters leaned against at 67%.
Young voters (under 30) most opposed at 73–80%
Voters under 30 showed the highest opposition rates at 73–80%, indicating the next generation of voters is the most skeptical of AI infrastructure expansion.
Top opposition reasons: environment, community, AI distrust
Primary reasons cited for opposing data centers: environmental/water impacts (32%), effects on local communities (21%), and general distrust of AI (18%).
UMass Amherst poll independently finds 65% oppose locally
A separate UMass Amherst poll found 65% of respondents oppose local data center construction, corroborating the NYT/Siena findings across different methodologies.
Poll conducted ahead of Anthropic's AI slowdown debate
Survey was conducted September 8–13, 2026, just before the high-profile AI safety debate sparked by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's 'pacing the frontier' essay.
Grok live web research compilation
Additional poll details sourced via Grok live web research from The New York Times, The Verge, New York Post, and NYT poll toplines and crosstabs (published September 15, 2026).
Primary source: The Verge AI (trust score 0.75), reporting on NYT/Siena University poll. Additional detail from GROK RESEARCH DIGEST (secondary source) citing NYT, The Verge, NY Post, and NYT poll crosstabs. Published September 15, 2026.
What This Means
A clear majority of likely U.S. voters oppose AI data center construction, and the opposition is broader than partisan framing suggests — even Trump voters are nearly split, while young voters show opposition rates above 73%. The poll arrives at a politically sensitive moment with midterms approaching, potentially making AI infrastructure a genuine electoral liability even for politicians who broadly support AI development. Critically, environmental and community concerns drive more opposition than abstract AI fears, meaning the energy, water, and land footprint of AI buildout — not just safety debates — is what's generating political backlash. For AI companies and policymakers, the data signals that infrastructure expansion needs to be paired with credible environmental commitments to maintain public support.