A University of Houston Hobby School survey finds high levels of concern among Texans about data centers and artificial intelligence.

**Key Takeaways**

A new survey from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs finds that more than 80% of Texas voters are concerned about the impact data centers will have on electricity prices, the water supply and power outages, with about two-thirds saying they are extremely or very concerned.

- 79% support limiting the number of data centers that can be built in Texas.

- 99% say proposed data centers should cover the cost of expanding the electric grid to provide the power they need.

- 65% say artificial intelligence will do more to hurt society than to help it. 63% say the same about AI's impact on education, and 54% say it will do more to hurt the U.S. economy than to help it.

- Voters are split on how AI will affect them personally: 37% say it will do more to hurt than help them, 35% say it will do more to help than hurt, and 28% believe it will make no difference.

Almost eight in 10 likely Texas voters support limiting the number of data centers that can be built across the state. A large majority cite concerns about the impact of these massive operations on electricity costs, the water supply and the stability of the grid. Near-universal support, at 99%, exists for requiring data centers to pay for any required electrical grid expansion.

The data centers needed to power the expansion of artificial intelligence and the digital economy have emerged as a potent campaign issue ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Many candidates who previously were all in on landing the projects have tempered their support in the face of major voter concerns.

Renée Cross, professor of practice and senior executive director of the Hobby School, said voters expect data centers to bring some benefits, including technological advances and improved infrastructure in the regions where they are built.

"Yet we also found that many voters are skeptical that the centers will have a positive impact on tax revenue and job creation, with 40% saying they will not be beneficial for job creation and 33% predicting a beneficial impact on jobs," Cross said. "Public officials who supported the buildout of data centers have touted the benefits for jobs, tax revenues and the overall economy, but the majority of Texas voters clearly disagree."

Researchers found a similar split on tax revenue, with 33% saying data centers will have a beneficial impact and 38% saying they will not. Three in four voters (76%) say data centers will raise electricity costs in the communities where they are built, while 61% say they will decrease the value of nearby homes.

Concern is highest about the impact on electricity prices, the water supply and power outages, with about two in three voters saying they are extremely or very concerned. Fewer than 20% say they are not very or not at all concerned. More than half (53%) say they are extremely or very concerned about the impact on noise and air pollution.

Mark P. Jones, political science fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and senior research fellow at the Hobby School, said concerns were consistent across demographic and geographic lines, although young voters, along with Black and Latino voters, tended to report higher levels of concern.

"The major split we saw was along partisan lines, with 93% of Democrats and 70% of independent voters saying they are very or extremely concerned about the impact on electricity prices," he said. "Among Republicans, 51% reported those high levels of concern."

Partisanship also shaped views on AI's economic impact. Overall, 54% think AI will hurt the economy over the next decade, compared with 37% who think it will help. Among Democrats, 81% think it will hurt the economy and 13% think it will help. Among Republicans, 32% think it will hurt the economy and 57% think it will help. Independents fell in the middle, with 56% saying AI will hurt the economy and 34% saying it will help.

**Among other highlights:**

- 65% of voters believe that over the next 10 years AI will do more to hurt society as a whole, while 29% believe it will do more to help and 6% believe it will make no difference.

- 54% say AI will hurt the economy over the next decade, 37% say it will help and 9% say it will make no difference.

- Voters are split on how AI will affect their own lives: 37% say it will hurt them personally, 35% say it will help and 28% say it will make no difference.

- Attitudes are more nuanced about the local impact of data centers. 45% believe they will have an extremely or very beneficial impact on technological advancement in their communities, 32% predict a somewhat beneficial impact and 23% predict a not very or no beneficial impact.

- 40% believe data centers will have an extremely or very beneficial impact on electrical infrastructure in their communities, 26% say a somewhat beneficial impact and 34% say very little or no impact.

- 76% believe construction of a new data center in their community will increase what they pay for electricity, 7% believe it will decrease the cost and 17% say it would have no impact.

- 61% say home values will drop after a new data center is built in their community, 20% say they will increase and 19% say there will be no impact.

The full report is available on the Hobby School website. The survey was fielded Oct. 10–14 and included 2,000 Texas likely voters. The margin of error is +/-2.19%.

A future report will consider the possibility of a National Hockey League team and hockey arena in Harris County. Previous reports covered Harris County elections, statewide elections, the race for Texas Congressional District 9, and the political attitudes of rural and Latino voters.