Growing opposition to big tech in the US
The AI boom is driving the construction of huge data centres in the US, and this expansion was also an issue in the midterm elections. Critics have raised concerns about the facilities' high electricity and water consumption, as well as the political influence of big tech companies. Europe's press examines the consequences of this growing opposition for US politics.
Distrust of tech giants on the rise
In a commentary in Hotnews, journalist Vlad Dumitrescu sees the midterm election results as a clear slap in the face for the tech companies:
“Voters have cast their votes for restrictions on the construction of data centres – infrastructure without which the expansion of artificial intelligence will not be possible. ... For many voters, data centres also symbolise a wider problem: the disproportionate influence of big tech companies on politics and the economy. The election results show that these companies should take public opposition – something they have so far underestimated – seriously, and that they should be clearer about who bears the costs of this expansion and who benefits from it.”
AI euphoria giving way to critical assessment
La Vanguardia points to a shift in public sentiment:
“In as many as ten states, voters backed the restrictions on AI proposed by Democratic candidates, while in forty localities plans for large data centres were rejected in referendums. ... The new political landscape could result in stricter environmental regulations, difficulties in obtaining authorisations and delays in planned investments. These restrictions could also have an impact on Europe. ... The technological revolution will continue, but its progress does not guarantee either that all companies involved in it will make a profit or that the extraordinary stock market valuations are justified. The euphoria is gradually giving way to a critical assessment of profitability.”