As AI data centers expand across rural America, opposition grows. Some propose solutions to share wealth from these centers with local residents. The Bitcoin Policy Institute suggests “data center dividends.” This involves sharing property tax revenue from AI data centers directly with nearby households. The aim is to provide annual payments between $4,500 and $8,900 per household without new taxes or cost increases for developers.

• Sam Lyman, head of research at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, emphasizes that Americans should benefit from the AI revolution, not just developers in Silicon Valley.
• Opposition to data centers is backed by several groups, including socialists and communist organizations, which are critical of tech developers and promote ideologies supportive of China.
• Gallup polling shows 71% of Americans oppose local AI data center construction, compared to 53% for nuclear plants.

Local data center moratoriums have soared from six in previous years to almost 300 recently. Activists are concerned about these centers’ environmental impact and energy demands. Lyman believes data center dividends could pivot the debate as communities recognize potential personal benefits from the AI industry.

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have proposed an Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, highlighting political tensions.

The proposal suggests using existing property tax revenue, not new taxes. Under this model, counties would meet essential service needs first. Remaining revenue would then be returned to residents through:

• Annual checks or direct deposits, akin to Alaska’s “Permanent Fund” dividends.
• Property tax credits, as seen in some Louisiana practices.
• Utility bill credits to offset energy costs from data centers.
• Scholarship funds for local students.
• Permanent investment funds for sustainable economic benefits.

Data center dividends are predicted to provide significant annual returns. For instance, Loudoun County, Virginia, collects substantial taxes from its data centers. A single one-gigawatt AI data center could generate enough tax revenue for payments between $4,500 and $8,900 per household annually. One example is West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, where an EU campus is expected to markedly increase local revenue.

Lyman stresses that direct payments are more effective than simple tax reductions or increased government spending. Such dividends ensure that rural Americans benefit from the AI economy, addressing their feelings of exclusion from technological advances. These areas supply scarce resources like land and power, vital for AI development, and deserve a share of the resulting economic gains.