Americans hate data centers. Tech needs them

The midterm elections, widely framed as a referendum on AI and tech, have left the industry without a clear read on what the results mean in practice. Voters' hostility toward data centers has become a central political theme even as tech companies depend on them for AI expansion. The ambiguity matters because data center siting and permitting decisions sit largely with state and local officials, not Washington. With no decisive national verdict, companies face a patchwork of local opposition rather than a single regulatory signal. What to watch next is whether state and local governments translate voter sentiment into permitting delays or moratoriums that slow AI infrastructure buildout.