More than eight in 10 Australians would not want to live near an AI data centre, according to new research, highlighting growing public resistance as investment in AI infrastructure accelerates.
The survey, conducted by Primara Research – on behalf of software engineering firm Airteam – among a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Australians, found that 83 per cent would oppose having an AI data centre in their local area.
Only 16 per cent believed nearby communities would receive meaningful benefits from such developments.
The findings suggest concerns extend beyond a simple “not in my backyard” response. Respondents cited potential job losses from AI, environmental impacts, and pressure on scarce resources as key reasons for their opposition.
According to the research, 86 per cent were concerned about AI’s impact on employment, while 80 per cent expressed concerns about noise and air pollution. A further 78 per cent were worried about the water demands of AI data centres.
The survey also found a lack of trust in technology companies, with 52 per cent of Australians saying they do not trust large technology firms to accurately disclose the water and electricity consumption of their facilities.
Younger Australians, however, were more receptive to AI data centre developments than older generations. While 92.6 per cent of Baby Boomers said they would not want to live near one, opposition fell to 75 per cent among Millennials, who were more than three times as likely as Boomers to support living near an AI data centre.
Airteam executive director Rich Atkinson said the industry needs to demonstrate tangible local benefits to earn community support.
“New infrastructure that reshapes communities needs to demonstrate its value to the people living in them,” Atkinson said.
“Eighty-four per cent of Australians don’t believe their local community will see a meaningful benefit from AI data centres. It’s a reasonable expectation that growth should work for the people it’s built among, not just for shareholders overseas.”
Atkinson said Australia has an opportunity to become a major technology hub but warned that infrastructure investment alone would not be enough.
“If data centres are built in a way that captures benefits locally, creates real jobs and earns genuine trust, they become an accelerant for Australian tech,” he said.
“Built without that, they’re just foreign-owned infrastructure that locals resent.”
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David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.