The AI industry is reaping what it sows, as far as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is concerned.
Abbott said the sharp criticism Americans are lobbing at AI data centers is well-earned during an interview on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
“They basically dug their own grave for the problem that’s been caused for them, and that’s why they got the backlash they deserve,” Abbott said.
Tech companies rely on data centers to power their AI products, but their messaging around them has fallen flat. All across the country, Americans are rallying to fight against AI data centers, which can cost billions to build and span hundreds of acres. Many are concerned about how the sprawling facilities will affect the environment, utility prices, water resources, and noise levels, to name a few. Some just generally don’t like AI.
Critics have crowded local planning meetings, created petitions, staged protests, and even taken legal action to stop construction. Surveys conducted by The Pew Research Center and Gallup this year said a large chunk of Americans are opposed to living near an AI data center.
“Seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing data centers for artificial intelligence in their local area, including nearly half, 48%, who are strongly opposed,” the Gallup survey said.
That’s a tricky reality for conservative politicians like Abbott, who must balance the will of his voters and that of President Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections. The Trump administration has gone all in on AI, including accelerating federal permitting and supporting the $500 billion Stargate Project, an ambitious plan led by OpenAI and Oracle to build hyperscale data centers across the country.
Abbott was initially an ardent supporter of AI data center projects in Texas for their economic benefit. The giant server warehouses can generate jobs during construction and provide tax windfalls to local communities. However, Texans from Abilene to Sulphur Springs have taken hard stances against them, forcing Abbott to change his tune.
Abbott has introduced new standards for AI data center projects in Texas, including instructing the state’s utility commission and electrical grid operator to protect residents from infrastructure costs. He’s also suggested a ban on data center developments in rural Texas, and that projects must undergo an audit before moving forward.
Abbott said earlier this month that his administration had halted some 1,800 AI data center projects in the state.
During the ABC interview, Abbott shared a few theories about why data centers are facing so much resistance, including the speed at which they are being built and brought online. The other is that data center developers aren’t gaining local residents’ support before pursuing projects.
“Gaining the support of people in local communities is essential,” Abbott said.
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