What America’s fight over AI infrastructure is really about

Local opposition blocked or delayed at least 75 data center projects worth roughly $130 billion in the first three months of 2026, nearly matching the total for all of 2025, as organized opposition groups surged past 800 across nearly every state, reflecting a contentious fight over AI infrastructure that has crossed partisan lines.

What America’s fight over AI infrastructure is really about Contention over data centre build-outs has crossed partisan lines A YEAR ago, most Americans would have struggled to explain what a “hyperscale data centre” was. Today, it is a flashpoint. In the first three months of 2026 alone, local opposition blocked or delayed at least 75 data centre projects worth roughly US$130 billion, nearly matching the total for all of 2025 combined. The number of organised opposition groups has surged past 800, active in nearly every state. TRENDING NOW /pulse?ref=trending-now GovTech retrenches 93 staff in first phase of agency’s 2-year workforce transformation A new kind of ‘ceasefire’ between US and Iran where talks, strikes are part of the same process Department store heir to outback cattleman: Inside Bruce Cheung’s US$130m wagyu gamble Early payout from Philippines’ Maharlika Investment Fund raises eyebrows over its true nature