Meta says election backlash could make data center projects harder

Meta says election backlash could make data center building harder after Democratic wins in the US midterm elections.

Meta president Dina Powell McCormick said opposition to data centers is linked to concerns about artificial intelligence, which they help power.

Meta has data centers in 23 US states, and five planned projects are designed to use at least one gigawatt of power each.

The company says it needs to show local communities clear benefits, such as paying for its own electricity and directing tax surpluses to teachers and first responders.

Future projects will face closer scrutiny and may depend on whether residents want them and whether they benefit the community.

Meta also hopes its AI products will grow, while Powell McCormick said the computing capacity it has built can be leased to others.

The company says it sees a way to earn money from that capacity even if its AI plans do not scale as hoped.