Artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into the lives of many residents in New Jersey. However, a recent survey reveals that a significant number of individuals do not support the presence of large data centers in their communities, which are essential for powering this technology.
According to the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, 55% of New Jerseyans feel that the drawbacks of data centers surpass their advantages. Meanwhile, only 11% believe the opposite, with 19% stating that the pros and cons balance each other out.
This sentiment is reflected in the active resistance seen in many towns across the state, where locals are attending meetings, pursuing legal action against projects, and demanding a stop to any new developments. In the past year, over 100 municipalities have either prohibited or imposed moratoriums on the construction of data centers.
The poll, released earlier this month, highlights that around 55% of residents engage with AI daily, frequently using it via search engines and social media platforms. Despite this daily usage, there is a strong opposition to new data center installations, with 72% of participants expressing their disapproval of having such facilities built nearby.
Ashley Koning, director of the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, noted that the data centers do not garner majority support from any demographic groups, whether by locality or on a broader state level. She emphasized that while most groups share strong objections, the sentiment softens when projects are located further away.
Additionally, the findings corroborate a Stockton University poll from May, in which 56% of New Jersey voters supported a ban on data centers in their communities, and 49% believed these facilities posed more risks than rewards.
Data centers are critical for supporting AI, cloud services, and video streaming by housing computer servers. Although older data centers have existed in New Jersey for years, new AI facilities typically demand substantially greater resources in terms of electricity and water.
A report from New Jersey Policy Perspective highlighted the correlation between increasing numbers of AI data centers and the rise in electricity costs, predicting a nearly 20% surge in electricity bills by the summer of 2025 due to the strain these facilities put on the state's power infrastructure. Proponents of the industry counter that data centers are beneficial, generating investment, creating jobs, and paying for their own electricity consumption.
This year, several New Jersey municipalities, such as Cranbury and Colts Neck, have enacted bans or short-term freezes on the development of new data centers.
The Rutgers survey also found that opinions on data centers varied based on political alignment, with 63% of Democrats and 57% of independents considering the costs of data centers to outweigh the benefits, compared to 37% of Republicans. Furthermore, 34% of Republicans expressed support for data center projects in their towns, in stark contrast to 19% of independents and only 14% of Democrats.
Interestingly, while younger residents frequently utilize AI tools—with 53% of those aged 18 to 34 reporting daily use—this age group is also among the most critical, with 66% believing that data center costs outweigh their advantages and 73% opposing their construction in New Jersey.
Concerns about the broader implications of AI are evident as well. The poll indicated that nearly half of residents perceive AI as having a detrimental impact on the environment, while 43% feel it negatively affects job opportunities, and 39% believe it is harmful to education.
Koning remarked, "Residents recognize the usefulness of AI in their own lives, but their outlook shifts negatively when considering its wider repercussions on vital sectors like education, employment, and the environment." The Rutgers-Eagleton Poll surveyed 1,004 New Jersey adults from September 24 to September 27, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
