CoreWeave CEO Michael Intrator stated that local opposition to AI data centers will not reduce overall computing demand but will instead shift it to other locations. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia & Tech Conference on September 9, he described the public resistance as a natural reaction to the rapid pace of technological change.
A Brookings Institution analysis revealed that 75 data center projects, valued at approximately $130 billion, were delayed or blocked by local resistance in the first quarter of 2026. This number of projects matches the total for all of 2025, indicating an increase in the anti-data-center movement.
A Gallup survey found that 70% of Americans oppose the construction of AI data centers in their local area, with 48% expressing strong opposition. Common complaints include noise from cooling systems, increased utility costs, and strain on local power grids.
To mitigate these risks, CoreWeave is diversifying its development pipeline. The company has planned more than one gigawatt of international capacity to ensure growth despite local resistance in specific geographies. Intrator acknowledged that international deployments involve higher costs, currency risks, and different regulatory regimes.
The issue has become a political tool during midterm elections in Northern Virginia, central Texas, and the Midwest. Candidates are leveraging voter frustration over rising electricity bills and the industrialization of rural landscapes to oppose new data center construction.
