GoKawiil
Tech News
Anthropic is preparing a Nasdaq listing, reportedly targeting mid-November, with investors now eyeing a valuation of $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion—down from earlier talk of $2 trillion. The timing follows a steep Nasdaq selloff and midterm election results in which candidates favoring stricter AI regulation won in several states, and local communities rejected data center proposals in 40 of 41 ballot measures.
A wave of local and state ballot proposals is emerging across the United States addressing the rapid growth of AI data centers, with some measures designed to streamline approval of new facilities and others aimed at blocking them outright. The split reflects growing political division over how communities should respond to the infrastructure demands of the AI boom.
At a Brooklyn midterm-election event hosted by media company Newsreel, panels on AI, attention, and data centers drew heavy engagement, reflecting growing public backlash against AI infrastructure. A Data Center Watch report cited at the event found nearly $200 billion in data center projects were delayed, stalled, or blocked in the first half of 2026 due to political and community opposition, while states including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, New York, and Virginia weigh new regulations on data center development.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri said resentment toward AI is especially strong among creative professionals, driven by concerns over content ownership, unauthorized use in AI training, and job losses. He predicted that this anxiety and backlash will grow more intense over the coming years.
A new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos survey finds 57% of Americans believe AI is harmful to society, while 66% oppose new data center construction nationally and 72% would oppose one in their own community. Political strategists tell CNET that opposition spans party lines and could influence midterm election outcomes, particularly for candidates who backed data center projects without community input.
Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak criticized the most ambitious players in the AI race, labeling them the 'lunatic fringe' of Silicon Valley. He argued Apple's slower, privacy-focused approach to AI features is deliberate, prioritizing useful tasks for everyday users over rapid, unconstrained advancement.
Cyrus Beschloss, CEO of data marketplace Verb, said at CNBC's Trading the Midterms event that many people who publicly oppose AI and data center construction continue to use tools like ChatGPT. He argued that if forced to choose between shutting down data centers entirely or losing access to such AI tools, many critics would find the decision far harder than their public stance suggests.
A writer recounts their son's diagnosis at 18 with a disease typically seen in patients in their late sixties, describing how the experience reshaped their view of AI's role in medicine. The essay argues that despite growing public backlash against AI, the technology holds promise for personalizing healthcare, especially for patients whose conditions don't fit standard patterns.
A group of roughly 10 people vandalized the Montreal offices of Quebec's AI research institute MILA and a nearby AI company this week, smashing windows and spray-painting slogans including "burn the data centers." Montreal police confirmed the coordinated attack and briefly detained a 25-year-old woman found near the scene before releasing her without charges.
A wave of recent AI model and tool launches has delivered capabilities far beyond what existed just months ago, yet public reaction has grown more negative rather than more welcoming. Critics point to concerns over environmental costs, erosion of creativity and critical thinking, and fears that advanced AI systems could act in ways harmful to humanity. Media coverage is increasingly framing these issues around specific companies or figures the public can hold accountable.
Megi Endeladze, co-owner of Penny's Coffee Shop in Buffalo, New York, used ChatGPT to design a printed menu poster after the barista who usually hand-drew chalkboard signs moved away. She spent about $350 on printing and framing, then posted the result to Instagram, where customers quickly criticized the shop for relying on AI-generated artwork instead of human design.
Billionaire investor Mark Cuban argued in a series of X posts that public reaction to anti-AI content on social media is more dangerous than AI systems or agent swarms acting on their own. He claimed platforms like Meta and Google amplify anti-AI sentiment far more than positive coverage, even as those same companies profit from AI investment. Cuban said he isn't calling for a development pause, arguing it's not realistic anyway.