Democrats, GOP agree in new poll on major issue ahead of midterms—AI

Artificial intelligence is emerging as a rare issue that is bringing people across the political spectrum together ahead of this year’s midterm elections, as Americans across party lines are expressing concerns about the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure, according to an NBC News Decision Desk poll that was published Sunday.

When asked how they identify, 34 percent of those polled in the survey said Republican, 29 percent said Independent and 37 percent said Democrat.

Overall, 69 percent of Americans said they oppose an AI data center being built in their local area, including 45 percent who strongly oppose the idea. Just 31 percent said they support having one built nearby. The poll shows that 70 percent are also more worried about AI than 30 percent who say they are more excited about it.

The findings point to concerns that can transcend traditional party lines when AI infrastructure has a direct impact on local communities. When asked, “Which political party do you trust more to make good policy decisions about AI?” 20 percent said the Democrats, 16 percent said the Republican Party, 44 percent said neither party, 5 percent said both parties equally and 15 percent said not sure.

“Worries about the technology transcend virtually all of the demographic divides that usually define American politics and policy. Republicans and Democrats, men and women, those with and without college degrees, and Americans who live in cities, suburbs, small towns and rural areas were united in their discomfort with AI. Tech-savvy young Americans are just as concerned about AI as their older counterparts,” NBC News said in a write up on the poll.

The poll surveyed 7,105 adults online from August 20 to September 1 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

Meanwhile, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently warned that the public debate over AI has been too quiet, saying his concerns about the technology’s rapid development pushed him to speak out more forcefully against what he sees as a lack of meaningful safeguards.

He pointed to risks including cyberattacks, bioterrorism and broader psychological and social consequences, telling CNN’s Anderson Cooper that he was “shocked” that stronger safeguards are not already in place. Gates also argued that simply restricting data centers would not meaningfully slow AI’s development because companies could build them elsewhere.

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Monday for comment.

Data Center Concerns Ahead of the Midterm Elections

Much of the debate surrounding data centers is centered on their demands for electricity, water and land, as well as questions about who ultimately pays for the infrastructure needed to support them. Supporters argue the facilities can bring jobs, investment and economic development, while critics have raised concerns about strain on local resources and potentially higher utility costs. Those tensions have helped make data centers an increasingly prominent political issue.

The findings come as the Trump administration pushes to expand the country’s AI capabilities and encourages more investment in data centers. Meanwhile, Republicans, like Texas Governor Greg Abbott, are increasingly voicing opposition to AI data centers, with some GOP lawmakers and officials raising concerns about their potential impact.

“My directive has halted up to 1,800 data center projects,” Abbott wrote on X last month. “Data centers must not take water needed by local communities. They must not take power needed by the Texas power grid. They must lower the cost of electricity. They must not disrupt neighborhoods or rural communities.”

He added: “These guidelines are now the universally applied standard in Texas.”

With the midterms approaching, the issue could become particularly significant in communities weighing proposed projects, as voters consider the potential economic benefits against concerns about their local impact.

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social last week arguing that communities that reject data centers risk falling behind economically, saying the projects can bring jobs and lower taxes.

“The good news is that there are plenty of other places that want them. If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame. China could not be happier with this anti Data Center movement. Actually, they can’t believe it is happening!” he wrote.

When asked “How concerned are you about China becoming the global leader in artificial intelligence?” 38 percent said, according to the survey, that they were either extremely or very concerned. Twenty-eight percent said somewhat concerned and 34 percent said not very concerned or not at all concerned. NBC News said those worries are driven by a majority of self-identified Republicans.

While speaking during the White House press briefing on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance said, “A very large chunk of it, not all of it, of course, but a very large chunk of it, is that people associate data centers with ‘my neighborhood’s going to get worse.’ In particular, ‘my power bills are going to go up.'”

“The way to bridge that gap,” Vance said, is to help put power back into the grid.

When asked about the Sunday’s poll and whether Trump could potentially “own” the issue while helping Republicans on the campaign trail ahead of November, Robert Y. Shapiro, professor of political science and in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, told Newsweek via email on Monday, “If there is a bipartisan consensus on this then no party will own the issue or gain advantage on this nor can Trump. He has other problems that trump this, no pun intended.”

What the Poll Shows

When asked about jobs and the workplace, 53 percent said AI will do more harm than good. Twenty-seven percent said more good than harm and 20 percent did not know. The survey shows that 81 percent think the government is not doing enough when it comes to regulating AI, versus 19 percent who think the government is doing enough.

Nearly 30 percent would rate the benefits of AI for society as a whole as high or very high. Thirty-eight percent say medium benefit while over 30 percent say low or very low benefit, the survey shows. When it comes to democracy and elections, 64 percent say AI will do more harm than good. Fourteen percent say it will do more good than harm and 22 percent do not know. When it comes to healthcare, 47 percent said AI will do more good than harm, 30 percent said more harm than good, and 23 percent did not know.

Over 50 percent of those surveyed say they have used AI sometimes or very often, while 26 percent said rarely and 22 percent said never.

Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Jason Lemon and Anthony Murray.