More Than Three-in-Four Voters Support Expanding the Energy Infrastructure Needed to Power AI
Washington, DC – As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be central to the national debate, new polling from the American Edge Project (AEP) finds that voters across the country support expanding U.S. energy capacity in order to meet increasing demand. Voters value AI innovation – even considering how much energy it requires – because AI delivers clear benefits to the country and to communities. These benefits include improving health care outcomes, supporting American families, the U.S. economy, and small businesses, assisting the U.S. military, and helping the U.S. compete with China.
“American AI innovation is helping us find cures to diseases, driving economic opportunities in communities, and securing our country’s competitive edge around the globe,” said Doug Kelly, American Edge Project CEO. “This research tells us that a resounding majority wants to ensure that we can support AI’s delivery of these benefits. Instead of undermining innovation and the value it brings to people’s lives, we must accelerate building out our AI infrastructure to ensure the American people are first in line to reap its benefits.”
This survey, conducted in partnership with Mercury Analytics, was fielded among 2,000 nationwide registered voters from March 30 to April 7, 2026.
To read the full analysis from this study, see this memo.
Key findings include:
- Voters agree that AI is critical to innovation, jobs, and U.S. competitiveness. Across party lines, voters agree that AI has a positive impact on the U.S. They see AI improving daily tasks, driving innovation, helping the U.S. and American businesses compete globally, and creating new jobs.
- Voters from across the political spectrum want to expand energy capacity in the U.S. Across party lines, voters strongly agree that the U.S. needs more electricity to meet growing demands, ranging from domestic manufacturing to the rapid growth of data centers that power and support AI innovation. From Independents (70 percent), to Democrats (76 percent), to MAGA Republicans (83 percent), Americans are in agreement that we need more capacity to meet increasing demands.
- Strong majorities of voters believe AI’s higher energy use is “worth it” if AI leads to clear benefits to American communities and to our country. These benefits include, for example, AI leading to health care breakthroughs and cures, economic growth, stronger national security, and U.S. competitiveness in education.
- As the demand for energy increases, voters support the U.S. tech industry’s efforts to protect households from higher electricity costs. Most voters support a “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” that requires U.S. tech companies to help cover the costs, while keeping electricity affordable for households.
The bottom line: Voters across the political spectrum support expanding the U.S.’s energy capacity to meet growing needs, including powering data centers and AI. Voters support continued AI innovation and believe AI’s higher energy use is worth it if AI can bring gains across health care, economic growth, national security, and U.S. global competitiveness.
BACKGROUND:
The American Edge Project is a coalition of domestic organizations representing a cross-section of U.S. innovators who are dedicated to telling the story about technology’s positive influence on America’s economy and the vital role innovation plays in our society. Former New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, former U.S. Representative Chris Carney, and former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley A. Smith are directors of the American Edge Project. AEP’s National Security Advisory Board is comprised of Former White House Counterterrorism and Homeland Security Advisor Frances Townsend and former Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Michael J. Morell. Former U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) serve as Co-Chairs of the Project’s Economic Advisory Board. Former U.S. Representative Greg Walden (R-OR) and Former U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) serve as Co-Chairs of the Project’s Open & Accessible Internet Advisory Board.
Visit AmericanEdgeProject.org for more information.