How Pennsylvanians really feel about AI data centers, according to a new survey
The results come after several AI data centers have recently been proposed in the Philadelphia area, including in Falls Township, East Vincent Township, and near Conshohocken.
Data center opponents outnumber supporters in Southeast Pennsylvania, according to a recent survey from Real Clear Politics and Emerson College.
Overall, however, the poll found that Pennsylvanians have mixed opinions on artificial intelligence and the data centers that power AI tools.
Several such centers have recently been proposed in the Philadelphia area, and some of them have been met with neighborhood pushback.
Amazon is building a 2-million-square-foot data center in Falls Township, Bucks County. A 1.3-million-square-foot data center is proposed at the former Pennhurst State School and Hospital in East Vincent Township, Chester County. And near Conshohocken, plans for a 2-million-square-foot data center had to be withdrawn over legal issues, but can be resubmitted at any time.
More than 150 data centers already exist in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, according to Data Center Map, which tracks the facilities nationwide, but not all of them fuel AI.
» READ MORE: Human reporters explain why AI data centers are so controversial in the Philly suburbs and beyond
According to the new survey, 38% of all Pennsylvanians support data centers being built in the Commonwealth, while 35% oppose, and 27% are neutral or have no opinion. But when asked about data centers being built in their area, residents’ opposition grows: 34% support, 42% oppose, and 24% are neutral or have no opinion about centers being built in or near their communities.
And opposition to close-to-home data center construction is among the strongest in the southeast part of Pennsylvania, second only to opposition in the northeast, a hot spot for data center construction. In Southeast Pennsylvania, 45% of respondents strongly or somewhat oppose data centers, while 54% strongly or somewhat oppose them in the northeast.
Among Pennsylvanians’ worries about data centers, 70% are concerned about the amount of water data centers use, and 71% are concerned about the amount of electricity data centers use.
Seventy percent of Pennsylvanians strongly or somewhat support requiring data centers to provide their own energy generation, rather than get electricity from the grid.
When it comes to AI more broadly, just over half of Pennsylvanians told pollsters they believe AI will decrease the number of available jobs in their industry, while 16% said they think it will increase the number of jobs (29% said they thought it would have no impact).
Nearly twice as many residents think AI will have a net negative impact on the economy compared to how many think it will have a positive impact (48% said negative, 25% said positive). When respondents were asked about the environment, the results were similar (46% vs. 21%).
The survey of 2,000 Pennsylvania adults was conducted online and via text between Nov. 19 and 23.