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Opponents of the rapid expansion of data centers are planning to organize protests on Saturday in at least 125 locations across the United States, in the first nationwide coordinated effort to channel anger over the expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure that has escalated over the past year and caused upheaval in the local political arena.

These protests are organized by a grassroots group known as 'Humans First,' co-founded by a former leader of the Tea Party movement, a conservative anti-establishment network.

The group's founder likened the growing opposition to data centers to the right-wing populist movement that emerged in 2009 protesting what it then considered high taxes and government overreach, according to Reuters.

Protesters are scheduled to hold a rally to express their rejection of what Humans First describes as 'unaccountable' expansion of data center construction, and what it considers 'an unacceptable violation of our freedoms.'

Towns and counties have been at the forefront of opposition to data center projects, some of which received approvals despite residents' objections, and in some cases after local officials signed non-disclosure agreements with developers or under limited regulatory scrutiny.

As opposition grows, politicians at both the local and federal levels are rushing to address rising voter anger over concerns about higher electricity bills, depletion of water resources, and worsening pollution.

Opposition to data centers is one of the rare issues that unites Americans across political lines, as a Reuters/Ipsos poll in June showed that only about a third of Americans support the pace of data center construction in the United States.

Only 14% of respondents expressed willingness to support building a data center in their area to serve artificial intelligence projects of major tech companies such as Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI.

The 'Data Center Alliance,' the industry association and lobbying group for the sector, has not yet commented on the protests. The alliance told Reuters earlier that data centers are committed to being responsible neighbors in the communities where they operate.

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