Distrust of AI fuels New England data center opposition

Opposition to data centers across New England reflects broader anxiety about AI, alongside concerns about environmental impacts, electricity costs and disruption to communities. Residents at public meetings have challenged corporate influence, surveillance and the social consequences of the technology powering the construction boom.

A University of Massachusetts Amherst poll conducted in September found that majorities across political affiliations opposed data centers in their communities. Around 13% of respondents said they distrusted the technology and the people behind it. General distrust of AI and its industry ranked above concerns about rising utility bills, although environmental and community impacts remained the leading worries.

Emily Bender, a computational linguistics professor at the University of Washington, links the backlash to frustration over AI being introduced into existing services and displacing freelance work. While acknowledging benefits in medicine and the hard sciences, she rejects claims that widespread adoption is inevitable.

Local resistance has already affected development. Holyoke, Massachusetts, banned data centers after residents organized against a small-scale proposal. Councilor Mimi Panitch said the measure would protect residents from powerful technology companies, citing concerns that safety discussions are lagging behind expansion. Nearby Westfield passed a one-year moratorium and denied a permit extension for a proposed facility. Organizer Kristen Mello said the debate has increased public participation in local government.