A new poll reveals a significant portion of the American public is worried about the environmental consequences of artificial intelligence. As the United States rapidly expands its infrastructure for AI development, concerns are growing over the massive energy and water consumption required to power these advanced technologies. The poll, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, shows that these anxieties are not just niche concerns but are held by a substantial segment of the population, surpassing worries about other industries with known environmental impacts.
The findings, based on a survey conducted in September 2025, suggest that as AI becomes more integrated into daily life, its environmental footprint is becoming a key public concern. Approximately 4 in 10 U.S. adults report being “extremely” or “very” concerned about the environmental impacts of AI. This level of apprehension is higher than that expressed for the environmental effects of cryptocurrency mining, meat production, and air travel, all of which are recognized contributors to climate change. The poll highlights a growing awareness of the hidden environmental costs of our increasingly digital world, with the energy demands of AI data centers at the forefront of these concerns.
Growing Energy Demands of AI
The primary driver of public concern is the immense amount of electricity required to power AI systems. The International Energy Agency projects that global electricity consumption from data centers is set to more than double by 2030, with the United States accounting for the largest share of this increase. This surge in energy demand is largely driven by the computational needs of training and running complex AI models. A 2019 study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that training a single large AI model could emit as much carbon as five cars over their lifetimes.
This rapid growth in energy consumption has significant implications for the nation’s power grid and climate goals. In many regions, the increased demand for electricity will be met by burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, which will lead to a rise in carbon dioxide emissions and exacerbate climate change. The energy needs are so substantial that some major technology companies are reportedly scaling back their own carbon reduction goals and investing in next-generation nuclear technology to secure a consistent power source for their AI operations.
Public Apprehension and Partisan Divides
The poll reveals that while concern about AI’s environmental impact is widespread, it is not uniform across the political spectrum. Democrats are more likely to express high levels of worry, with about half of them stating they are “extremely” or “very” concerned. In comparison, about one-third of independents and Republicans share the same level of concern. However, the fact that a significant minority across all political affiliations are worried indicates that this is not a purely partisan issue.
The survey also touched on the broader societal impacts of AI. Americans are more likely to believe that AI will do more to hurt than help the environment, the economy, and society as a whole over the next decade. There is a division, however, when it comes to the personal impact of AI, with roughly equal numbers of Americans believing it will do more to help them as those who believe it will do more to hurt them.
Water Consumption and Local Impacts
Beyond electricity use, the environmental impact of AI extends to another critical resource: water. Data centers require vast amounts of water for cooling their servers, a fact that is raising concerns in communities where these facilities are being built. Residents in some areas are opposing the construction of new data centers, fearing the strain they will place on local water supplies and land resources.
The poll captured these local anxieties, with some respondents expressing fears that data centers will be built on land that should be preserved for farming or other uses. The competition for resources between the burgeoning AI industry and local communities highlights the tangible, on-the-ground consequences of the digital revolution.
Awareness and the Path Forward
The Knowledge Gap
While the poll shows a growing concern about AI’s environmental impact, there is also evidence of a knowledge gap among the public. Many people are not fully aware of the connection between their use of AI-powered tools and the environmental consequences. One student interviewed in a related report expressed surprise at the idea that applications like ChatGPT could have a negative environmental impact, stating that she had never heard of AI polluting the environment. This suggests that while overall concern is rising, the specific mechanisms of AI’s environmental footprint may not be widely understood.
Industry and Government Response
The tech industry is not entirely ignoring these concerns. Some AI developers and tech companies are exploring ways to mitigate the environmental effects of their technologies. These efforts include developing more energy-efficient AI models, improving cooling systems in data centers, and investing in renewable energy sources. However, the scale of the challenge is immense, and it remains to be seen whether these efforts will be sufficient to offset the projected growth in AI’s environmental footprint.
The U.S. government is also taking note of the rising energy demands of the AI industry. The Department of Energy has identified federal sites that could potentially be used for new data centers. This move, however, has been met with mixed reactions, as it could accelerate the growth of an industry with a significant environmental impact. The debate over how to balance the economic and technological benefits of AI with its environmental costs is likely to intensify as the technology becomes more pervasive.
