President Donald Trump frequently talks up artificial intelligence data centers as a cornerstone of American economic and technological strategy. But the advantages touted by the president, members of his administration, and a broader universe of Make America Great Again supporters come with significant drawbacks, per businesspeople and industry analysts.

The growth of data centers has fueled construction jobs and helped make the United States a leader in AI. However, the growth raises concerns about energy use and questions about how much the space can scale over the coming years.