US AI Boom Expands Toward $7T While Americans Question Data Center Growth

• AI data center boom is accelerating across the US as AI infrastructure expands to meet rising demand from the ongoing AI surge
• AI spending is moving into the trillions, with global data center investment expected to reach around $7T by 2030
• US data centers are expanding rapidly, but public support remains mixed as many Americans oppose having new facilities built in their communities

The AI data center boom in the US is reaching an unprecedented scale as the AI boom continues to surge. The spending around AI infrastructure has now started to hit trillions. The US is doing its best to take the lead, with nearly 90 US data centers taking the AI data center boom to new levels. This number is also set to rise to 280 by 2030, fueled by the rapid AI surge. With such progression, growing concerns around AI are also rising steadily. A new NBC poll finds nearly 31% of Americans supporting the AI data center surge. The majority, nearly 69%, are opposing its development, sending mixed signals.

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AI Infrastructure Spending Is Rising

The rapid AI surge is pushing companies to secure computing power capacity and physical infrastructure to fuel its success. The latest estimates shared by McKinsey add how the global AI data center boom can more than triple by 2030. The demand in the US alone may grow by 20% to 25% annually, according to the latest McKinsey figures.

“The US AI infrastructure boom is making history. There are now ~90 US data centers with more than 100 megawatts (MW) of power in operation, the highest count on record. This figure is set to more than triple by 2030, to ~280, if all currently planned projects are completed. Over the same period, tech companies are expected to spend ~$7.0 trillion on data centers. Meanwhile, Amazon, $AMZN, Microsoft, $MSFT, Alphabet, $GOOGL, and Meta, $META, have already signed more than $1.5 trillion in data center leases since the AI boom began, including commitments that have yet to take effect.”

The big tech is already contributing huge sums of money to this endeavor. Companies like Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, Amazon, and Alphabet had around $1.09T in future lease payments that had not yet begun as of mid-2026, per Reuters.

This development shows how the AI data center boom is not merely a fantasy. Companies are locking in real capital for the future, betting on AI infrastructure demand and the AI boom to continue rising.

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But Public Sentiment Tells A Different Story

While companies continue to bet heavily on the future AI data center boom, public sentiment is considerably more cautious. Americans are expressing their negative response to the rising AI boom, per a new NBC poll. The new poll found that nearly 31% of Americans support an AI data center in their area, while nearly 69% oppose the idea, including 45% who strongly oppose such projects.

The concerns are now extending beyond just physical infrastructure. Recent research has also found that GenZs are showing concerns about AI’s impact on learning, with questions growing around how AI use could affect critical thinking and educational outcomes.

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