55% of Americans Say AI Will Do More Harm Than Good, 65% Oppose Data Centers in Their Community

The AI backlash has numbers behind it now. A new Quinnipiac poll finds that 55% of Americans believe AI will do more harm than good in their daily lives — an 11-point jump since last April. And it gets worse: 65% oppose building data centers in their community.

The Numbers

70% of Americans think AI advancements will reduce job opportunities — up 14 points from last year. Gen Z is the most pessimistic generation about AI’s impact on jobs, which is ironic given they’re also the heaviest users.

76% trust AI-generated information only “some of the time” or “hardly ever.” Only 21% trust it most or almost all of the time.

Among those opposing data centers, the reasons are practical: 72% cite electricity costs, 64% cite water use, and 41% cite noise.

The Usage Paradox

Here’s the twist: AI usage is actually increasing even as trust declines. Americans are using AI more than ever while simultaneously losing confidence in it. It’s the classic pattern of a technology people feel they can’t escape rather than one they’ve chosen to embrace.

The Bottom Line

Silicon Valley’s AI enthusiasm is meeting Main Street’s AI anxiety head-on. When a majority of the population believes your product will harm them, and two-thirds don’t want your infrastructure in their neighborhood, that’s not a perception problem — it’s a legitimacy problem. The question is whether tech companies and regulators will address these concerns before public opinion hardens further.