Americans’ Concern About AI’s Environmental Impact Rises as Data Center Buildout Draws Policy Scrutiny

A new national poll finds that 53% of U.S. adults are now extremely or very concerned about the environmental impacts of AI, up from 41% last year, intensifying pressure on policymakers as data centers expand across the country. The findings put energy use, water demand and local grid costs at the center of the AI debate, alongside broader concerns about safety, jobs and technological competition.