Exclusive / Republican senator rails against AI data centers

Americans are “on fire” against artificial intelligence data centers, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said of his constituents at Semafor’s World of Work event on Wednesday, offering support for the growing number of local moratoriums in the state.

“Several dozen counties have placed moratoriums [on data centers],” Marshall, who is up for reelection this cycle, told Semafor’s Burgess Everett at the event in Washington, DC. “I certainly support their moratoriums.”

The backlash to data centers in both political parties threatens to slow the US AI industry, which relies heavily on the domestic infrastructure to power their systems. Coupled with concerns about job displacement, data center opposition is helping drive a negative view of AI across the US, further complicating the work of the companies developing cutting-edge models.

Marshall added that he opposes tax incentives for data centers, arguing that they strain local infrastructure like water and electricity while creating few permanent jobs after being built. He pointed to higher electricity rates near Panasonic’s new Kansas plant as a warning of skyrocketing energy demand causing increased energy rates for people living in the area.

“I certainly don’t want it to drive up other people’s electricity costs,” he said.

However, Marshall didn’t go so far as to support statewide moratoriums on data center construction, like the one imposed by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, earlier this month. 

Marshall argued decisions on moratoriums should be made at the local level, not the state or federal. At the same time, he left open the door to Congress acting to address the national security implications of AI infrastructure. He warned that advances in AI combined with quantum computing could eventually break down blockchain technology and encryption, giving powerful tools to foreign adversaries and terrorists.