Data centers forgot the consumer — and that could cost America the AI race

Data centers have gone from a niche policy issue to one of the most controversial topics of the midterm elections. Fewer than 30% of Americans support a data center being built in their community and the reason why is simple; the industry forgot about consumers.

Data centers didn't suddenly appear with artificial intelligence. They have long powered the internet, cloud computing, streaming, online shopping, banking, and countless other services Americans use every day. But the emergence of AI changed their scale and visibility.