Reaction in the US, optimism in Asia regarding artificial intelligence

A substantial share of U.S. voters say their stance on data centers will influence their vote in the midterm elections, signaling growing political pushback against AI infrastructure, while sentiment in China and much of Asia remains markedly more optimistic. The divide matters because data-center siting and permitting are becoming election issues in the U.S., potentially slowing buildouts, whereas Asian markets are leaning into AI investment. Watch for how candidates position themselves on data centers ahead of the midterms and whether policy uncertainty affects U.S. project approvals relative to Asia.