A majority of US residents object to artificial intelligence data centers being built near their homes despite the economic benefits of such projects, a Redfin.com survey showed Wednesday.
Some 53% of Americans opposed construction of those data storage and processing facilities in their neighborhoods, while 34% expressed support, according to the online real estate brokerage. The survey covered 4,000 respondents, who were asked about how they feel about certain types of properties being built in their areas.
"People are concerned about noise, increased traffic, heavy water and electricity use, and how a large industrial building might change the feel of their neighborhood," Redfin Premier agent Matt Ferris said. "Right or wrong, the perception is that data centers will change neighborhoods in a negative way."
AI data centers can provide educational and other benefits to local communities, according to the report.
US technology giants Amazon.com (AMZN), Meta Platforms (META), Microsoft (MSFT), and Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) are expanding their data center footprints in the US and globally amid robust demand for AI and cloud services.
New York imposed a ban on the construction of new large-scale data centers using at least 50 megawatts of power for up to one year, the first US state to do so, according to a CNBC report last week.
Roughly 39% of respondents opposed construction of a new apartment complex in their neighborhood, while 32% were against a mixed-use development, the Redfin survey showed Wednesday. Some 48% opposed converting single-family homes into smaller dwellings to increase supply in their area.
In terms of age group, older generations are more likely than the younger ones to oppose data centers in their area, according to the report.
Price: $244.09, Change: $-3.46, Percent Change: -1.40%
