Meta president Dina Powell McCormick said at the WSJ Tech conference that Democratic wins in the US midterm elections are likely to make it more difficult for companies to build data centres. She linked this to rising political and public opposition, noting that concerns about AI technology are influencing resistance to data centre projects. Meta has data centres in 23 states, with several major new projects planned, but now expects more scrutiny and local pushback after politicians campaigned on anti-data-centre platforms.
Powell McCormick said communities are more likely to support data centres if they see clear local benefits, such as tax surpluses funding teachers and first responders, local hiring, and bipartisan backing. She added that Meta is seeing demand to lease its computing power, suggesting ongoing value even if AI expansion slows.
For regulated industries, delays or constraints on new data centres could affect the availability and cost of AI infrastructure. Executives should expect more regulatory review and political risk in site selection and community engagement.
