The future of AI is not set. In fact, the greatest threat to the AI revolution may be a growing backlash from the very public it is supposed to serve.

AI has a major PR problem

Despite the optimism of industry leaders and futurists, artificial intelligence suffers from a serious public relations problem.

Rather than associating AI with curing diseases, creating abundance, or increasing productivity, many people associate the technology with job losses, deepfakes, so-called AI slop content, digital surveillance, and corporate control.

This skepticism is repeatedly reflected in public opinion surveys. According to a recent Marquette University Law School poll, roughly 70% of people believe artificial intelligence will do more harm than good for society. Another survey from NBC News found AI’s net favorability rating ranked near the bottom of all topics measured.

Public concerns are increasingly spilling into local political battles as well. Across the country, communities are pushing back against the construction of large-scale data centers that power AI systems. Residents often cite concerns about energy consumption, water use, noise pollution, and land development.

One of the highest-profile examples is taking place in Utah, where local opposition has emerged over plans for a massive data center project backed by investor Kevin O’Leary. Similar disputes are occurring in communities throughout the United States. Some reports suggest that roughly half of proposed data center projects have been delayed or canceled due to permitting challenges, infrastructure concerns, or public opposition.

It is difficult to identify another emerging technology that has faced this level of widespread skepticism before reaching maturity. Unfortunately for the AI industry, unfavorable public sentiment often creates fertile ground for regulatory backlash.

Regulatory backlash

Many transformative technologies eventually attract government scrutiny. Nuclear energy, biotechnology, the internet, and social media have all faced varying degrees of regulation as they developed.

However, the degree of the proposed regulations on AI might be unprecedented. Some policymakers are proposing interventions that would fundamentally reshape the industry itself.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has recently floated proposals that would require AI companies to surrender significant ownership and governance authority to the federal government. Under his framework, the government would acquire a 50% ownership stake in major AI firms and gain substantial representation on corporate boards, allowing political actors to influence the direction of AI development.

Sanders has also joined Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) in proposing a federal moratorium on the development of new AI data centers.

Whether one agrees with these proposals or not, there is little doubt that they would slow down development and discourage investment in what could become the most revolutionary technology in human history.

Poorly designed regulations also carry another risk. Heavy compliance burdens often fall hardest on startups and independent innovators, while established technology giants possess the resources to absorb the costs. This could likely create less competition, fewer alternatives, and greater consolidation among the largest players in the industry.

Ironically, regulations intended to throttle Big Tech may ultimately strengthen it.

AI’s hunger for energy

Government policy is already creating obstacles for AI development in another critical area, energy.

Artificial intelligence may be one of the most energy-intensive technologies ever created. Every AI breakthrough ultimately runs on electricity. Training advanced models, operating massive computing clusters, and serving millions of user requests requires staggering amounts of reliable electricity.

The demand has become so significant that companies are pursuing unconventional solutions to secure reliable power. Some are deploying large natural gas generators directly at data center sites. Microsoft is pursuing plans to restart operations at Three Mile Island, a nuclear power plant, as part of its effort to secure electricity for future AI development.

These developments arrive after decades of public policy aimed at restricting conventional energy production.

Coal-fired power plants have been retired. Pipeline projects have been blocked. Nuclear development has been constrained for years. Meanwhile, policymakers have invested heavily in wind and solar boondoggles under the flawed assumption that “renewable” energy could fill the gap. It cannot. “Renewable” energy is intermittent, expensive, and awful for the environment.

Even BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said publicly that wind and solar cannot satisfy the enormous electricity demand of artificial intelligence.

The AI revolution requires abundant, reliable, and affordable energy. Without it, technological progress decreases, costs rise, and innovations are deterred.

The AI future is not set

For years, experts have warned about the potential dangers posed by artificial intelligence. Those concerns should not be dismissed. AI carries the potential for economic disruption, privacy concerns, misinformation campaigns, and countless other challenges that society must address responsibly.

Simultaneously, artificial intelligence could advance humanity’s greatest achievements.

AI could accelerate the discovery of new medicines and treatments. It could assist researchers pursuing nuclear fusion. It may help scientists develop advanced materials, improve manufacturing, and expand humanity’s ability to explore space and understand the universe.

Hamstringing these technologies in a knee-jerk reaction to future concerns may ultimately create more problems.

There is also a geopolitical reality that cannot be ignored. The U.S. leads the world in artificial intelligence development, but China is investing aggressively and narrowing the gap. Heavy-handed government reactions to real concerns may stifle U.S. innovation and create opportunities for competitors abroad.

The future of AI remains unwritten.

IS AI UNWITTINGLY MOVING US TOWARD THE VERY THING WE ALL FEAR?

The greatest obstacle standing between artificial intelligence and its promised future may be an increasingly skeptical public asking whether the future being built is one they want.

How society answers that question could determine whether AI becomes one of the greatest engines of human progress or a failed societal experiment, smothered before it could reach its full potential.

Donald Kendal ([email protected]) is the director of the Emerging Issues Center at The Heartland Institute. Follow @EmergingIssuesX.