Opposition to the construction of data centers is increasingly influencing political outcomes in the United States and Australia, leading to the defeat of current officials and changes in campaign strategies.

反對興建數據中心的聲浪正日益影響美國與澳洲的政治結果，導致現任官員落選並促使競選策略發生改變。

The political situation is changing as data center infrastructure, once seen as a way to boost the economy, has become a major political problem. In Utah, State Senate President J. Stuart Adams and Commissioner Lee Perry lost their positions after supporting the Stratos project, which requires a huge amount of power. Similarly, officials in Oregon, Virginia, and Missouri have faced recall efforts or were replaced after supporting similar facilities. These events show that local planning arguments have turned into a wider system of opposition.

政治局勢正在發生變化，數據中心基礎設施曾被視為刺激經濟的手段，如今卻成了重大的政治問題。在猶他州，州參議院議長 J. Stuart Adams 與專員 Lee Perry 在支持需要大量電力的 Stratos 項目後失去了職位。同樣地，俄勒岡州、維吉尼亞州與密蘇里州的官員在支持類似設施後，也面臨罷免行動或被取代。這些事件顯示，地方規劃的爭論已演變成一個更廣泛的反對體系。

Different groups of people are now joining together to oppose these projects. Environmentalists, ordinary citizens, and suburban residents are all worried about the negative effects of AI infrastructure, such as the loss of water, noise pollution, and rising electricity bills. Data from Gallup shows that 71% of Americans oppose building data centers in their areas, which is a higher level of resistance than what was seen with nuclear power plants. Furthermore, the Pew Research Center reports that many people believe these facilities harm the environment and increase household costs.

目前不同的群體正聯合起來反對這些項目。環保主義者、普通公民與郊區居民均擔心 AI 基礎設施帶來的負面影響，例如水資源流失、噪音污染以及電費上漲。Gallup 的數據顯示，71% 的美國人反對在其居住地區興建數據中心，這種抵制程度比以往對核能電廠的反應更高。此外，皮尤研究中心（Pew Research Center）報告指出，許多人認為這些設施會損害環境並增加家庭成本。

This trend has also reached high-level elections. In Georgia and Virginia, candidates have won by opposing government subsidies for data centers and power grid expansions. In Pennsylvania, Republican candidates in competitive districts are facing critical advertisements because of proposed developments. Internationally, similar fears are appearing in Australia, where projects in Katoomba have been stopped by local protests. Although the Australian government claims AI will improve productivity, a Lowy poll shows that 64% of Australians believe the risks of AI are greater than the benefits.

這一趨勢也影響到了高層選舉。在喬治亞州與維吉尼亞州，部分候選人透過反對政府補貼數據中心與擴充電網而贏得勝利。在賓州，競爭激烈的選區中，共和黨候選人因擬議的開發項目而面臨批判性的廣告攻擊。在國際方面，澳洲也出現了類似的擔憂，Katoomba 的項目已因當地抗議而停擺。儘管澳洲政府聲稱 AI 將提高生產力，但 Lowy 的民調顯示，64% 的澳洲人認為 AI 的風險大於利益。

The expansion of data centers has become a major political divide, showing a growing gap between the goals of AI companies and the acceptance of local communities.

數據中心的擴張已成為一個重大的政治分歧，顯示出 AI 公司的目標與地方社區的接納程度之間存在日益擴大的鴻溝。