Bill Kleyman in a searching, thoughtful LinkedIn post this week put his finger on an uncomfortable truth: opposition to data center development has at this point proceeded far beyond just permitting headaches or familiar rounds of local pushback. Now in too many places, the gap between what the industry says it is building and what communities believe is happening appears to be widening - and is in fact getting scary.
As Kleyman writes:
Our industry is at a very fragile moment. Legislation is being proposed to halt data center construction, an entire state wants to ban new data centers, and two days ago, someone fired 13 shots at a lawmaker's front door in Indiana, leaving behind a note reading "No Data Centers" on their doorstep.
This isn't "NIMBY" any longer. I worry that something between public perception and what the data center industry is doing is breaking. Or it's already broken. I understand that public service can bring strong opinions and disagreement, but violence is never the answer, especially when it puts families at risk.
So in solidarity with Bill's concerns, this month's DCF Poll asks: What does the data center industry most need to rebuild and sustain public trust right now?
Bloomberg looks at how the AI-driven data center boom is fueling record demand for skilled trades, from electricians to HVAC, while labor shortages and retirements strain the pipeline.
At Data Center Frontier, we talk the industry talk and walk the industry walk. In that spirit, DCF Staff members may occasionally use AI tools to assist with content. Elements of this article were created with help from OpenAI's GPT5.
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About the Author
Matt Vincent
Matt Vincent is Editor in Chief of Data Center Frontier, where he leads editorial strategy and coverage focused on the infrastructure powering cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy. A veteran B2B technology journalist with more than two decades of experience, Vincent specializes in the intersection of data centers, power, cooling, and emerging AI-era infrastructure. Since assuming the EIC role in 2023, he has helped guide Data Center Frontier’s coverage of the industry’s transition into the gigawatt-scale AI era, with a focus on hyperscale development, behind-the-meter power strategies, liquid cooling architectures, and the evolving energy demands of high-density compute, while working closely with the Digital Infrastructure Group at Endeavor Business Media to expand the brand’s analytical and multimedia footprint. Vincent also hosts The Data Center Frontier Show podcast, where he interviews industry leaders across hyperscale, colocation, utilities, and the data center supply chain to examine the technologies and business models reshaping digital infrastructure. Since its inception he serves as Head of Content for the Data Center Frontier Trends Summit. Before becoming Editor in Chief, he served in multiple senior editorial roles across Endeavor Business Media’s digital infrastructure portfolio, with coverage spanning data centers and hyperscale infrastructure, structured cabling and networking, telecom and datacom, IP physical security, and wireless and Pro AV markets. He began his career in 2005 within PennWell’s Advanced Technology Division and later held senior editorial positions supporting brands such as Cabling Installation & Maintenance, Lightwave Online, Broadband Technology Report, and Smart Buildings Technology. Vincent is a frequent moderator, interviewer, and keynote speaker at industry events including the HPC Forum, where he delivers forward-looking analysis on how AI and high-performance computing are reshaping digital infrastructure. He graduated with honors from Indiana University Bloomington with a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing and lives in southern New Hampshire with his family, remaining an active musician in his spare time.
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