Meta warns election backlash against data centers could slow AI expansion

Meta warned that growing political opposition to data centers, fueled by midterm election backlash, could hinder future AI investments and infrastructure expansion. Meta President Dina Powell McCormick said Democratic midterm wins will make data center construction harder, citing the industry's failure to communicate benefits. She linked community resistance to broader negative sentiment about AI, noting data centers are its visible manifestation. Meta aims to counter this by demonstrating local and technological value, citing successful projects with community benefits like local hiring and tax support. The company sees leasing compute power as an alternative monetization path if AI products underperform.