[REVISION HISTORY]

AI governance push and infrastructure backlash

Updated 21 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-05 09:15 UTC → 2026-09-07 13:29 UTC · added ~~removed~~

By late August 2026, protests against OpenAI’s ‘Stargate’ initiative intensified. Demonstrators from the Oil & Gas Action Network, the Washington AI Resistance, and the Salish Sea Action Collective staged protests in Bellevue, featuring participants dressed as ‘rogue AI agents’ to highlight concerns over massive energy and water demands. Simultaneously, OpenAI and Anthropic significantly ramped up lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. Combined federal lobbying expenditures for the two firms reached $3.17 million in Q2 2026. OpenAI shifted its position on California’s SB 53 safety law, moving from opposition to advocating for its strengthening through ‘reverse federalism’. Anthropic also took an active regulatory role, donating $20 million to Public First Action to support AI safety policy. Legislative and regulatory backlash has intensified. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott halted as many as 1,800 proposed AI data center projects and ordered a comprehensive audit of facilities seeking grid connection to assess impacts on water, noise, and electricity. Abbott has also called for the elimination of sales tax breaks for these facilities. Public opposition to local data centers has grown, with Annenberg Public Policy Center polling showing disapproval rising to 61% among U.S. ~~adults, including 69% of Democrats and 54% of Republicans. This represents a significant shift from 49% just four months prior.~~ adults. In ~~response, the advocacy group Build American AI—backed by the super PAC Leading~~ September 2026, the ~~Future and funded by venture capitalists including Marc Andreessen and OpenAI President Greg Brockman—launched a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign in Kansas, Ohio, and Wisconsin~~ backlash expanded to ~~defend~~ Arizona, where Attorney General Kris Mayes called for a moratorium on data center ~~construction. Meanwhile, Microsoft has acknowledged that its AI ambitions are complicating its climate goals, noting~~ development due to high electricity and water demands. A Noble Predictive Insights poll found 57% of registered Arizona voters oppose large-scale projects. Additionally, in Tennessee, Elon Musk’s xAI faces legal action over allegations that its ~~energy use~~ data centers have increased ~~by 168% since 2020.~~ air pollution in predominantly Black neighborhoods.

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