Regulation of hyperscale data centers has become a key issue in this year's midterm elections as voters across the country become increasingly opposed to advances in artificial intelligence.
Michigan, a key swing state, is no exception.
A recent study from Michigan State University shows that 70% of 1,000 Michigan residents surveyed were opposed or somewhat opposed to the construction of data centers in their community. Eleven percent of respondents said they support or somewhat support data center development in their community, with the remaining 19% saying they were indifferent.
During Michigan’s divisive U.S. Senate race, artificial intelligence and the infrastructure needed to support it have become issues both candidates, former Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers and former Wayne County public health official Abdul El-Sayed, have not been able to ignore.
The two candidates have remained divided on how they would address affordability, healthcare and other major issues in this year’s election. However, both believe moratoriums, which would temporarily pause data center development, are needed to some extent.
El-Sayed recently told Detroit Fox 2 that federal policy needs to be adopted to safeguard natural resources and that contractual agreements for data centers should be available to the public. Some local governments in Michigan have signed non-disclosure agreements with tech companies, igniting pushback from community members.
He says that he supports pausing development until then.
"I believe that we need local and state moratoriums to protect people," El-Sayed said on Detroit Fox 2. "This cannot continue to be a race to the bottom while the richest people in society make robots that could ultimately end humanity."
When asked about El-Sayed’s stance on data center development, his campaign referred WCMU to a Aug. 19 press release accusing Mike Rogers of benefiting from these projects. When WCMU followed up with specific questions about where El-Sayed stood on the issue, the campaign didn't provide further comment.
Rogers said he doesn’t support a federal ban on data centers but believes Michigan should have more protective policies on development and called for a one-year moratorium.
“Michigan needs stronger guardrails to protect community control, prevent utility price hikes, protect our water and stop pay-to-play schemes,” Rogers wrote in an email to WCMU. “That is why I am calling for a one-year moratorium on new data centers until we establish a fair, transparent approval process that puts local communities first.”
State lawmakers would have authority over a statewide ban. Lawmakers in both chambers of the Michigan legislature have introduced bills to regulate data centers, but nothing has moved amid calls from environmental groups to take action.
The growing political wariness of data centers
As November’s general election quickly approaches, both Republicans and Democrats have increasingly grown cautious of opening their arms to embrace the rapid development of data centers.
The US Data Center Map reported 4,998 data centers and projects across the country as of September. Michigan has 70 operational data centers, two under construction and 15 planned.
“This could be an issue where both parties agree that we have to do some sort of framework, some sort of regulation to kind of better implement data centers and their impact on everyone,” said Thomas Greitens, chairperson of the School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service at Central Michigan University.
Voters say they feel like there are too many unknowns about data centers, and elected officials have been skeptical as well.
“It's all a big surprise to the common person,” said Bay City resident Maria Linsalata after a panel discussion hosted by Michigan for Responsible Data Centers in Saginaw on Aug. 8. “We're trying to go to our political parties and have discussions and learn about such things. This is all very puzzling.”
Some of the main concerns voters have are how much data centers consume natural resources and if their energy consumption could raise utility rates.
During the panel discussion, Director of External Engagement for Consumers Energy Lindsey McGurik said that her company must file a formal rate case with the Michigan Public Service Commission to change prices.
However, people are still wary.
“The energy bills — are we not really going to get stuck with that bill? Is that not going to be handed over to the community?” said Saginaw resident Anna Robles after the panel.
While voters voice frustrations, both parties are trying to find their political footing.
Greitens said that many Republicans are breaking away from President Donald Trump’s widespread support of data centers as rural areas that are GOP-dominated begin to voice concerns.
“It's bubbling up from their constituents,” he said. “They are getting angry about the noise, about the pollution, in random neighborhoods when these massive data centers get built.”
In June, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, one of the country’s most prominent Democrats, received backlash from voters after celebrating the opening of The Barn, a hyperscale data center owned by OpenAI in southeast Michigan's Saline Township.
Following the controversial opening, Whitmer unveiled her administration’s plan for guardrails on data centers.
“It’s simple: any data center company that wants to invest in Michigan must ensure working families do not pay a single penny for data center development or operations, protect our natural resources, and create local, good-paying jobs,” the governor wrote in a statement on July 15.
