The Year Data Centers Went from Backend to Center Stage

There was a time when most Americans gave little thought to their local data centres. Long an invisible but essential backbone of the internet, server farms rarely attracted attention outside the tech industry and were hardly a topic of political debate.

As of 2025, that has clearly changed.

Over the past year, data centres have become flashpoints for protest across dozens of states, as local activists push back against the rapid expansion of computing infrastructure. According to Data Centre Watch, an organisation that tracks anti–data centre activism, there are now 142 activist groups across 24 states organising opposition to new data centre developments.

Opponents raise a range of concerns, including environmental impacts, potential health effects, the controversial use of AI technologies, and—perhaps most critically—fears that the growing strain on local power grids could increase electricity bills.

This surge in grassroots opposition reflects the speed and scale at which the Wof industry has expanded; artificial intelligence has grown at a breakneck pace, so too has cloud computing infrastructure. U.S. Census Bureau data indicate that since 2021, construction spending on data centres has increased by 331%, with total investment reaching hundreds of billions of dollars. So many projects have been proposed that experts now believe a significant portion will never be built.

Despite this, the buildout shows little sign of slowing. Major tech companies — including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon — have all announced substantial capital expenditure plans for the coming year, with much of that spending expected to go toward data centres.

The push for AI infrastructure isn't limited to Silicon Valley. In Washington, D.C., the Trump administration has made artificial intelligence a core priority. The Stargate Project, announced in January, framed 2025's massive infrastructure expansion as part of a broader "re-industrialization of the United States."

As the industry has scaled rapidly, it has also been thrust into public view — and now faces growing backlash. Danny Cendejas, an activist with the nonprofit MediaJustice, has participated in several protests against data centre projects, including a demonstration earlier this year in Memphis, Tennessee, opposing the expansion of Colossus, a data centre project tied to Elon Musk's startup xAI.

Cendejas told TechCrunch that he regularly encounters individuals interested in organizing against data centres in their communities. "I don't think this is going to stop anytime soon," he said. "I think it's going to keep building, and we're going to see more wins — more projects are going to be stopped."

Across the country, communities have reacted to proposed server farms with intense resistance. In Michigan, where developers are reportedly considering 16 potential data centre sites, protesters recently gathered at the state capitol, declaring that "Michiganders do not want data centers in our yards, in our communities." In Wisconsin, local opposition appears to have discouraged Microsoft from pursuing a planned 244-acre data centre. In Southern California, the city of Imperial Valley has filed a lawsuit challenging the county's approval of a data centre project on environmental grounds.

The issue has grown politically sensitive enough that some believe it could influence election outcomes. In November, reports suggested that rising electricity costs — widely attributed by critics to the AI boom — could become a defining issue in the 2026 midterm elections.

"The connection to people's energy bills going up is what's made this issue so stark," Cendejas said. "So many of us are struggling month to month, while there's this massive expansion of data centers. People are asking where the money is coming from and why local governments are offering subsidies and public funds when communities have so many unmet needs."

In some cases, public opposition appears to be slowing or halting projects. Data Centre Watch estimates that approximately $64 billion in data centre development has been blocked or delayed due to grassroots resistance. Cendejas believes public pressure is having an effect. "All this pressure is working," he said, describing a "very palpable anger" surrounding the issue.

The tech industry, meanwhile, is pushing back. Politico reported earlier this month that a new trade group, the National Artificial Intelligence Association (NAIA), has been distributing talking points to lawmakers and organizing site visits to data centres in an effort to influence voters. Companies such as Meta have also launched advertising campaigns that highlight the economic benefits of data centres.

In short, the AI industry's ambitions remain tied to an enormous expansion of computing infrastructure. As 2026 approaches, it appears likely that the surge in server construction — along with the backlash and polarisation surrounding it — will continue.