The mob-like movement against data centers that’s been gaining traction across the country took a dark turn this week. Indianapolis Councilor Ron Gibson (D), who supports a project to build such a facility in his district, woke up early Monday to the sound of 13 gunshots fired at his home. The gunman left a note on the lawmaker’s doorstep: “NO DATA CENTERS.”
No one was injured, but the incident illustrates how opposition to artificial intelligence can metastasize into an irrational frenzy. It wouldn’t be the first time in history that deranged Luddites turn to violence to fight the advancement of frontier technology.
Maine is at the forefront of this movement. Its House of Representatives passed a bill this week that would impose the nation’s first statewide moratorium on data centers. The measure, which would last through 2027, is expected to sail through the Senate. Gov. Janet Mills (D) — who is lurching leftward as she trails in a U.S. Senate primary — now supports the temporary ban.
Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, the voters of Port Washington overwhelmingly passed a referendum on Tuesday to restrict future data centers. It was the first such referendum in the country.
Activists see this as a blueprint for opposing developments across America. In Ohio, an effort is gaining steam to place a statewide ban on the ballot this fall to halt new construction.
Each of these fights carries similar themes. Data-center opponents wildly exaggerate claims about water usage. They spread fears that these facilities will drive up utility bills, even though many projects include plans to fulfill their own energy needs. Others simply tap into general anxiety about what AI will mean for the future of work.
All of this is akin to standing on a shoreline, yelling at the rising ocean tides. More than 700 data centers are under construction in the U.S., and thousands more are planned. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent on these developments by big tech firms such as Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon, which was founded by Post owner Jeff Bezos.
Even as domestic opponents throw sand into the gears of progress, China’s buildout will continue unabated. Obstructionism aids America’s adversaries.
No one denies this technology will cause disruptions, but it also has the power to transform the economy, and therefore countless lives, for the better. The jurisdictions that embrace the future will win it.
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