Meta warns that local opposition to data centers could slow its AI plans

Meta's president Dina Powell McCormick has warned that growing public opposition to data centers could make AI expansion much harder for the company.

Speaking at a technology conference, Powell McCormick explained that data centers have become a political issue. During recent elections, politicians campaigned against data center projects, and voters supported these candidates.

The challenge, she said, is that people see data centers as the physical face of AI technology. When a facility is built in a community, residents can point to something concrete and say they do not want it there.

Powell McCormick described this as a visibility problem. Most people do not think about the invisible technology behind their apps and services.

But a data center is something they can see and touch.

Meta currently runs data centers across 23 states. The company is planning five major projects, including one in Texas, each using 1 gigawatt or more of power.

The company is concerned that political opposition could stop some of these projects from moving forward. However, Powell McCormick said the situation may not be impossible.

She believes communities can accept data centers if they receive clear benefits.

Meta's approach has involved paying its own electricity costs, directing surplus tax money to support teachers and first responders, hiring local workers, and building political support from both major parties.

Looking ahead, Meta is betting that its AI technology will demonstrate genuine value to consumers. The company hopes its consumer AI agent, which currently has 10 million users, will eventually reach billions of people worldwide.

Powell McCormick also mentioned that Meta has found another way to make money from its data centers. Other companies are already asking to lease the computing power Meta has built, creating a potential revenue stream regardless of how successful Meta's own AI products become.