Cities Are Blocking AI Data Centers. The Reasons Should Worry Every Leader.

Denver unanimously voted to halt new AI data center construction for a year. More than 20 proposed facilities were canceled in the first quarter of 2026 alone — over $40 billion in stalled investment. A March 2026 Gallup poll found that 70% of Americans would oppose a data center near them, a higher rate than nuclear plants. The reason isn’t bad PR. Three distinct and compounding forces are driving this backlash, and every leader deploying AI at scale needs to understand all three. Subscribe and listen on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU3e5k8HJeOGEa7AGA97kvVjtpi6uqG0t Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iseLQje3RnPGqUlh2I8?si=cb19276a3c68459d Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leapfrogging-the-headlines-with-soren-kaplan/id1896880297 View original on Inc. Magazine: Cities Are Blocking Data Centers at Record Rates. Here’s the Lesson for All Leaders