OpenAI and Meta are expanding community-relations efforts as concerns grow across the United States over AI data centers’ water and electricity consumption and their impact on local infrastructure. A Gallup survey found that about 70% of Americans oppose building a data center in their area. At least 75 data center projects, with a combined value of about $130 billion, were blocked or delayed by local opposition during the first three months of this year. OpenAI is hiring a head of community engagement to reduce opposition risks to projects in Ohio and Georgia, while Meta is seeking a community engagement manager to build relationships with local officials and school districts. OpenAI also announced this week that it would commit $40 million to an Ohio community fund. Meta has spent millions of dollars on advertising promoting its data centers, and Microsoft said it would no longer seek local tax incentives for newly built data centers.