On Thursday evening, I donned my neon yellow heels and a floral mini dress. In New York, the freedom to express oneself through attire is embraced, even at a midterm election gathering populated by media professionals, technology enthusiasts, policy advocates, and, one might wonder, who else truly attends these events? Upon entering the dimly blue-lit warehouse in Brooklyn, I was taken aback to find the venue already bustling with attendees. The event was organized by Newsreel, a media company established by former Forbes and Newsweek journalist Jack Brewster, featuring a formidable lineup. Kenneth Schlenker, co-founder of the focus application Opal, engaged in a fireside chat discussing “the state of attention,” while Aryan Banjan, creator of the campaign management software Barza, provided insights into the midterm elections. Meanwhile, I was set to moderate a panel focused on data centers. Brewster expressed the intention for attendees to “put their phones away and engage in discussions about the election, just five days prior.” Yet, as the evening unfolded, one subject dominated nearly all discussions: AI, data centers, and the backlash against the expanding technocracy. Recently, as a technology reporter, I have observed an increasing divide between the tech sector and the general populace. My daily interactions are primarily with individuals who recognize the advantages of AI, who are fervently dedicated to its development, and who maintain an optimistic outlook on its future. Consequently, when I converse with those outside the tech realm, I often forget how daunting the situation appears to them.
Beyond the confines of the tech bubble, data centers and AI have emerged as critical issues that could influence several midterm elections on November 3. A recent study by Data Center Watch revealed that nearly $200 billion in data center projects faced delays, suspensions, or outright blocks in the first half of 2026 due to political and community resistance. Concurrently, states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, New York, and Virginia are contemplating stricter regulations and increased transparency regarding the rapid development of data centers. Virginia alone has plans for hundreds of new data centers, solidifying its reputation as the “data center capital of the world.” A fireside chat featuring New York City Council member Chi Ossé, which preceded my panel, set a significant tone for the evening. AI was mentioned towards the end of the discussion; Ossé indicated that he does not actively use it. However, he did not seem to take a definitive stance for or against it. Instead, he stressed the need for greater accountability among tech executives and advocated for higher taxes on billionaires like Elon Musk. Identifying himself as a democratic socialist, he described his approach as one that values “law and order.” He asserted that when CEOs discuss technologies that could potentially threaten 10% of human civilization, “they should be summoned to testify before Congress.”
My panel followed, where I moderated a discussion with Maia Woluchem, a researcher focused on technology and human rights, and Hilary Flint, an advocate for environmental and public health, centering on data centers. As I took the stage, I sought to gauge the audience’s sentiments. I inquired, “Who here supports AI data centers?” and was met with boos. Our dialogue traversed various topics and emotions. Attendees expressed frustration over large tech companies seemingly negotiating covertly with local officials to establish billion-dollar data centers. In certain instances, zoning regulations obscure the nature of developments until it becomes too late to voice opposition.
Simultaneously, individuals are grappling with rising living costs, striving to preserve what remains of the American Dream, while tech leaders discuss AI’s potential to replace workers, or even humanity itself. Residents feel a loss of control over their communities and harbor concerns regarding environmental and health implications. The panelists concurred that data centers symbolize the public’s fears and frustrations towards the tech elite and the rapid advancement of technology. “What is a life worth?” Flint posed when I referenced the advantages that some communities have experienced from data center expansions. People continue to protest, she remarked, because they “value their lives a little more than a temporary financial incentive.”
The subsequent panel featured NewsNation host Batya Ungar-Sargon; political strategist Morris Katz, who contributed to Zohran Mamdani’s campaign; and Astead Herndon from Vox. Although their discussion was intended to focus on the future of the Democratic Party, the conversation once again gravitated towards data centers. Ungar-Sargon highlighted that some labor unions endorse data centers due to the employment opportunities they promise. (Reports indicate that while data centers initially create numerous jobs, these positions are not permanent once construction concludes.) “Communities in the Rust Belt once took pride in the presence of large, unsightly buildings because they represented jobs,” she remarked, acknowledging an earlier point I made regarding the unattractiveness of data centers. “They understood that such structures symbolized prosperity for themselves, stability for their children, and a piece of the American dream.”
Herndon noted that Vivek Ramaswamy faced backlash for making a similar observation in Ohio, a state within the Rust Belt. “I want to emphasize the absence of consent,” he stated. “This sentiment resonates among Republicans in those regions, and I have witnessed it firsthand.” Katz expressed skepticism as well. “It’s the same entities that have stripped away countless union jobs,” he remarked. “The same institutional forces that have deprived labor and working-class individuals of jobs and profits are now returning to effectively complete the job and seize whatever remains.” Along the walls of the warehouse, I observed sticky notes responding to posted questions, including “Will we ever be able to eliminate Big Money from politics?” One note simply stated, “God, I hope so.” Following the panel’s conclusion, attendees flocked to the bar as techno music reverberated through the space. They congregated in smaller groups, where AI and data centers once again became the focal point of more intimate discussions. I inquired of Brewster whether he was surprised by the extent to which AI and data centers dominated the conversation. “It emerged in every discussion on stage, and it was the second most prevalent topic in the questions submitted when people RSVP’d,” he noted, adding that this trend is occurring even in New York, where data centers are not particularly visible. “AI has transformed into an election issue for everyday voters,” he stated. “In rural areas, the backlash stems from a sense of being replaced. In a place like Brooklyn, it revolves around who profits from it.”
Before departing, I made the rounds, asking attendees to share the most outrageous thing they had encountered in the tech industry this year. Two tech founders mentioned the AI assistant startup Instinct, while a non-tech individual cited Sam Altman. Another non-tech attendee brought up the emergence of deepfakes and AI-generated art. She remarked that AI art is beginning to convey a sense of cheapness. This perception may explain why luxury brands are opting for a different approach: Prada’s holiday campaign features hand-drawn illustrations, while Hermès has been showcasing artists’ handcrafted works on Instagram.
As I exited, I conversed with a software engineer who described the most astonishing thing she had witnessed this year as an individual who painted their nails orange for Halloween and was questioned if it was a tribute to the Anthropic IPO. I confessed that I too had once worn a burnt orange dress and briefly considered myself akin to the Claude logo. She later informed me that data centers are also emerging in her Southern California hometown. This revelation prompted me to contemplate how I would feel if a data center were to appear in my own community. She recounted growing up in a Chinese immigrant neighborhood, where residents have displayed signs in their yards depicting dragons choking a data center. These signs have since been translated into various languages, she added.
