CNBC survey finds 63% of voters oppose AI data centers near home

Support for advancing AI does not necessarily translate into support for the buildings that power it. A CNBC survey published October 24 found that 63% of registered voters oppose an AI data center within 10 miles of home. Even among MAGA supporters, who largely favor continued advanced AI development, opposition to nearby facilities outweighs support.

The CNBC All-America Economic Survey also found majority support for stopping advanced AI development until Congress passes safety regulations. Taken together, the questions distinguish two decisions: whether companies should keep developing the technology while lawmakers work, and whether voters want the computing infrastructure close to where they live.

Develop the technology, but build elsewhere

Data centers and power infrastructure support the AI development that President Donald Trump has promoted as a national-security priority in competition with China. But the survey shows that enthusiasm for continued development and willingness to host a facility are not interchangeable. The distinction is especially visible among respondents identifying with the MAGA movement.

Nearly 55%Favor continued advanced AI development

Nearly 55% want companies to continue developing advanced AI while Congress works on regulations; 27% favor a pause.

29%Support a data center within 10 miles

Among MAGA supporters, 29% support a nearby data center, while 40% oppose one.

Among the broader group of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters, only 24% would support a data center within 10 miles of home. Democrats are more firmly opposed: 80% reject a nearby facility, while 4% support one. Across all registered voters, support stands at just 13%.

A pause tied to congressional action

The development question offers a different choice from local construction. Overall, 52% favor pausing advanced AI until Congress passes safety regulations, compared with 32% who favor moving ahead to keep pace with China. That is support for a halt linked to legislation—not a finding that most voters want AI development stopped permanently.

Democrats favor that pause by 70% to 18% for pushing forward. The contrast with MAGA respondents is substantial: the groups differ over whether development should continue while Congress works, even though opposition to nearby data centers exceeds support in both groups.

Oversight also appears in voters’ concerns about control of Congress. Eighteen percent cite failure to regulate AI and data centers as a top concern if Republicans retain Congress. Even among voters who want Republicans to keep control, 17% cite weak oversight—second only to a failure to bring down prices.

Neither party commands majority trust on expansion. Asked who would handle data-center expansion better, 32% choose Democrats and 24% choose Republicans. Another 27% say neither party would do a better job than the other. Those answers measure confidence in the parties on this issue, rather than a direct choice of candidate.

The sample behind the findings

Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies conducted the nationwide survey October 14–18 among 1,000 registered voters. Its overall margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. The data-center proximity question went to a half-sample of roughly 500 voters, with a larger margin of error of plus or minus 4.38 points.