Why Americans Hate Data Centers artwork
Plain English with Derek Thompson

Why Americans Hate Data Centers

Aug 11, 2026 · 1 hr 3 min

It seems a universal fact that AI has become an indispensable part of the American economy. At the same time, opposing AI has also become one of the most influential causes in American politics. Nowhere is that tension more obvious than in the fight over data centers. Across the country, communities are organizing to stop the massive facilities that power artificial intelligence from being built i…