Big Tech and trade groups are spending millions to counter growing voter skepticism about data centers, using ads, congressional talking points and site tours to emphasize jobs and local economic benefits. Industry leaders argue that aging grid infrastructure — not data centers alone — drives higher utility costs, but analysts say research benefits often favor commercial customers. As data-center growth accelerates, the issue is becoming a bipartisan political flashpoint ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Big Tech Moves to Rebrand Data Centers as Political Backlash Grows Ahead of 2026
Tech companies and industry trade groups are mounting a major public-relations and lobbying push to counter rising voter opposition to data centers — the physical backbone of the rapidly expanding AI economy. The effort includes TV ads, congressional talking points and organized site visits intended to recast data centers as job creators and local economic assets rather than resource-intensive developments.
Why It Matters
Industry leaders say they are responding to a new political reality: candidates who ran against large server farms and promised stricter local rules have gained traction with voters. In some recent races and local decisions, opposition to data centers helped shape outcomes and policy demands, including calls for operators to contribute to electrical-grid upgrades.
Industry Tactics
A newly formed trade group focused on AI infrastructure has begun distributing talking points to lawmakers and organizing site tours for Capitol Hill staff so policymakers can see data centers firsthand. The Data Center Coalition and other associations have sharply increased lobbying spending, and major firms such as Meta are running multimillion-dollar ad campaigns in state capitals and congressional media markets.
“There's a very bad connotation around data centers. And this is something that, frankly, the data center industry needs to figure out,” Caleb Max, president and CEO of the National Artificial Intelligence Association (NAIA), told POLITICO.
Arguments and Counterarguments
Industry messages emphasize economic benefits — from construction jobs to long-term investments — and seek to shift blame for higher utility bills onto aging grid infrastructure rather than new server farms. The Data Center Coalition has cited research suggesting that adding large electrical loads can, in some cases, reduce costs for certain grid customers.
Analysts and critics caution that these studies do not show uniform benefits for residential customers. Some of the documented savings have disproportionately favored commercial users, and local officials remain concerned about the strain on distribution systems and community resources.
Political Response
Politicians from both parties have begun to make data centers a campaign issue. Some lawmakers and state leaders are calling for limits, greater transparency, or upfront contributions from operators to cover grid upgrades. Local councils have also rejected proposed projects, and federal lawmakers have pressed the administration for information about rising utility costs tied to large new energy loads.
The number of data centers is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, and some projections indicate their share of global electricity demand could rise substantially by 2030 — estimates vary, and outcomes will depend on efficiency gains, siting decisions and grid investments.
Looking Ahead
With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, tech companies are intensifying efforts to repair the industry’s image on this issue. Expect more advertisements, local outreach, and policy campaigns aimed at persuading both the public and elected officials that data centers can be responsibly sited and integrated into communities — but also more scrutiny and political debate over who should pay for grid upgrades and how growth is managed.
