A majority of U.S. adults would rather live near a nuclear power plant than an AI data center, according to new survey data.
This shift in public sentiment highlights growing anxiety regarding the physical footprint of artificial intelligence and the environmental impact of the infrastructure required to sustain it.
According to the results published this week, about 70% [1] of Americans oppose the construction of data centers near their homes. This represents a significant increase in opposition compared to a survey conducted in late 2025, where 47% [2] of respondents opposed AI data centers in their neighborhoods.
Respondents said several reasons for their preference for nuclear energy over data centers. Many expressed a general fear of artificial intelligence, while others focused on the immediate local impact of the facilities. Specific concerns included noise pollution, and water pollution caused by the massive cooling requirements of data centers [3], [4].
The findings suggest a paradox in public perception. Nuclear power plants, which have historically faced significant "not-in-my-backyard" opposition due to safety concerns, are now viewed more favorably than the server farms powering the AI boom.
Data centers require immense amounts of electricity and water to keep hardware from overheating. This industrial scale has led residents to view them as intrusive neighbors, a sentiment that now outweighs the traditional fears associated with nuclear energy [3], [6].
“70% of Americans oppose data centers being built near their homes”
The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is colliding with local zoning and environmental concerns. As tech companies seek more land and power to scale their models, they face a growing public relations challenge where the perceived nuisances of data centers — such as noise and water usage — are now viewed as more undesirable than the risks of nuclear power.
