On the popularity scale, nuclear power sits pretty near the bottom. So this is pretty embarrassing for AI data centres: 71 percent of Americans oppose having one built in their area, while only 53 percent would reject a local nuclear plant. Those numbers are according to a new Gallup poll, which lists environmental concerns as the biggest driver of that unpopularity. A good 70 percent of respondents worried about the data centers’ local impact, and for good reason — they can consume up to five million gallons of water per day and have the energy needs of hundreds of thousands of homes.


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