In this mid-term election in the United States, AI became an issue for the first time that could actually influence voter decisions.
An exit poll conducted by NBC showed that 57% of voters believed that the benefits of AI for society were outweighed by its negative impacts, while only 24% thought that its advantages surpassed its disadvantages.
56% of people said that AI and data centers are key or important factors when deciding who to vote for as a member of Congress. 76% stated that they would oppose the construction of new data centers in their communities.
The figure of 76% is really striking. While data centers generate tax revenue and create job opportunities, this argument clearly doesn’t hold much weight at the local level. What residents actually care about are issues such as electricity prices, water usage, and noise levels.
Neither party has gained the public’s trust. 43% of respondents believe that both parties are incompetent in addressing AI-related issues; among those who voted for the Democratic Party, this figure is 29%, while among those who voted for the Republican Party, it is 27%.
Wall Street was the first to react. The Democratic Party’s victory was seen as a threat to the current boom in AI and data centers, causing U.S. stock futures to fall that evening. Musk responded on X by saying: “Space-based data centers actually seem quite appealing now.”
These are preliminary export market surveys, and the figures may still be subject to adjustments later on. However, the general trend is already clear enough: for AI companies looking to expand their operations in the United States, the real challenges lie not in chip production but rather in local hearings and regulatory processes. The fact that OpenAI released a framework outlining its commitments to the community this week is certainly no coincidence.