From job losses and deepfake scams to unwanted data centers, public resistance to AI is growing. Could protecting people from its consequences become a new business for telecom operators?
Look at the photograph above. On November 3, Perry, Ohio, residents voted overwhelmingly to demand financial guarantees from data center developers seeking tax incentives. Some 87% supported the measure. In nearby Pataskala, 74% voted to prohibit large data centers. These are preliminary election results, but they send a pretty clear message.
And this goes well beyond a few unhappy communities. According to the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, 61% of Americans oppose new data centers in their neighborhoods, up from 49% just four months earlier. Pew Research finds that 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI, compared with 37% in 2021. Another 71% expect AI to eliminate jobs.
Meanwhile, Gartner reports that 65% of consumers believe brands already produce too much AI-generated content. The FBI recorded almost $900 million in reported losses from AI-related fraud complaints in 2025.
I find these numbers fascinating because we are seeing two completely different reactions to the same technology. Silicon Valley celebrates another extraordinary technological revolution. A growing part of the population sees job insecurity, higher electricity demand, unwanted infrastructure, and an internet increasingly filled with synthetic garbage.
Every technological revolution has faced resistance. Electricity, calculators, computers, and the internet all had their detractors. But some companies made fortunes by addressing those fears rather than dismissing them.
Could telecom operators do the same with AI?