Big Tech claims backlash is anti-Trump, not anti-AI
5 Nov 4 3:57 PM · 3d ago · 44 articles · 48 posts · 10 comments · 6 sources · development 5 of 7
Industry figures pushed back on the narrative that voters rejected AI and data centers specifically, arguing the results reflected broader anti-Trump sentiment rather than opposition to the technology itself.
Sam Altman OpenAI CEODina Powell McCormick Meta president
Elon Musk Tech executive cited in backlash narrative
Abdul El-Sayed Michigan senator-electAmerican voters Electorate across ~40 localities in 13 states
The whole story articlesvideospostscomments the bright band is this development · numbered dots are the others · click one to jump
What was reported 3 claims about this development
-
first by Mastodon, 3d ago · also Ars Technica
-
first by Futurism, 4d ago · also Latitude Media
1 more headline
- Voters just proved how much they hate data centers Latitude Media · 4d ago
-
1 outlet Reporting the Backlash
first by Columbia Journalism Review, 3d ago
What people said 24 voices · best of 31 · verbatim
-
L
So what I'm hearing is tech oligarchs, industry leaders, investors pre-blaming Dems for an AI boom slowing down due to likely increased oversight of data centers and/or pauses on AI-specific data center build out. Reminder: AI data center opposition was coming from all sides, GOP & Dem voters alike.
-
4
Data centers were on the ballot in dozens of races last night. They lost most of them. https://www. 404media.co/american-voters-ov erwhelmingly-reject-ai-data-centers/
-
> Here's Abdul El-Sayed (new Michigan senator) talking about his ideas for regulating the AI industry: https://youtu.be/YX44XDt0gXI?t=182 . For datacenters specifically, he isn't against them being built but thinks that there need to be rules in place so the communities that they're being built in actually benefit from them. He views moratoriums…
-
I will do you one better....NO STOCKS only company ownership and real estate....ok well I guess I do own stock it just is not publically traded lol. I watch the market and enjoy watching the ups and downs...but since I lost 1,200 daytrading at 14 years old I am out of the market...
-
J
Headline: Big Tech claims voters’ AI backlash is “anti-Trump” not “anti-tech” Truth: Why can't it be both?
-
J
People across America rejected data centers during last night’s midterm election. Proposals related to data centers were explicitly on the ballot in more than 40 races across 13 states. People voted against data centers in 38 of them and counting https://www. 404media.co/american-voters-ov erwhelmingly-reject-ai-data-centers/
-
For those questioning this conclusion, 4 of top 10 states by GW of DC under development flipped parties and elected governors that made curtailing DC development or increasing regs part of their platform. That's 130GW of the ~350GW pipeline in the US.This obviously matters. These states have the leverage. Look at the issues Oracle is having in NM.
-
This just isn’t true lol Like, it’s a complete misunderstanding of any part of this technology. Maybe you mean training only? Because running AI uses less water and energy than me typing this message to you.
-
R
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha There are going to be some interesting conversations in the tumbrils
-
R
"There will undoubtedly be the more openly right-leaning tech CEOs complaining about a Democratic victory, but the more clever ones will be trying to figure out how they recalibrate to ensure projects are still getting approved. We’ve already seen Amazon announce it won’t use non-disclosure agreements anymore and the industry more widely embrace…
-
This issue is really difficult.Although public opinion is against it, the opposing voices within public opinion are also different.It's impossible to satisfy everyone, and there must be trade-offs, but when it comes to exactly how the details should be handled, it seems that everyone can't reach a consensus either.But I'm very curious, if all the…
-
while giving nothing back to the communities other than tax revenue and middle class jobs that wouldnt otherwise exist.
-
G
This is what happens when the Silicon Valley fails to communicate.
-
C
Besides how brutally effective tying your opponent to AI data centres was for candidates, there were 41 ballot questions directly related to data centres yesterday in the US. The result was against data centre development in 40 of them. “Data centers and AI as a technology are fundamentally linked in many voters' minds,” says Alexander McCoy, a…
-
This will encourage developers to put these facilities in more human-friendly places. I knew the clock was ticking when xAI started expanding aggressively in suburban Memphis. These facilities are loud, they emit pollution (when power is generated onsite), and they need very little staff. After the initial construction there is zero upside for the…
-
D
Voters reject data centers – "Proposals related to data centers were explicitly on the ballot in more than 40 races across 13 states. People voted against data centers in 38 of them and counting. Six cities voted to ban data centers outright and 12 put limits on the amount of megawatts such buildings could draw. In addition to specific ballot…
-
Why must this be done at the federal(I presume what you mean when you say national) level? Seems to me, this should be up to the local community, if they want a datacenter or not.But I am in general for decentralisation and democracy.
-
B
Amazing how Walmart and Amazon could clear cut their way through mom & pop business and brick and mortar storefronts and raze vast segments of the economy into boxes full of bodies filling boxes and Americans fucking loved it -- cheap Chinese tchotchkes showed up at their doorstep in one-click, a new utopia of union and kulak-free consumer…
-
I worked for a lab that was building a new computer room and it spent about a year in the permitting process with the local town council before getting approved. Most of the focus in that process was on the geothermal cooling system.
-
D
America Votes Against Data Centers DTNS for Wednesday November 4, 2026 with Tom Merritt and Huyen Tue Dao More than 40 data center measures were on the ballot across 10 states and restrictions won almost every time. Plus, Apple thinks you want to record yourself doing karaoke. Two hosts who have done public karaoke weigh in. Listen here: https://…
-
> The rules he suggests areAdd effective enforcement with harsh penalties for "ask for forgiveness rather than permission" behavior. We've been on this ride too many times not to know what to expect.
-
T
Data center opponents were among the biggest winners of the Democrats' landslide victories in the U.S. midterm elections, pointing to a shifting public mood on artificial intelligence. https://www. japantimes.co.jp/business/2026 /11/05/markets/trump-midterms-data-center-opponents/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon # business # markets #…
-
Florida passed a state law that has standards are somewhat close to what you wrote, yet communities down here still voted to ban datacenter construction.
-
M
… As Sam Altman told Politico last week, “we believe that the world should accept some bad things happening for the benefits of this technology.” Spencer believed the poor should die and thus improve humanity’s stock, so he decried the excessive welfare spending that Victorian England was so known for. https://www. 404media.co/there-is-one-fight…
All 7 developments of Meta Warns Midterm Data-Center Backlash Threatens AI… →
RedditNewswiresMastodonBlueskyGoogle NewsYouTubeHacker NewsX