Sam Altman knows people hate data centers

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged the headwinds the AI industry is facing.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images OpenAI CEO Sam Altman knows people don't love AI right now.

Altman told Time Magazine that "Clearly, people hate data centers—right now, at least." In the US, the AI industry is facing significant headwinds, especially in data center construction.

Sam Altman doesn't need to see the polls .

The OpenAI CEO knows how unpopular his industry has become.

"Clearly, people hate data centers—right now, at least," Altman told Time as part of a series of interviews for a cover story published on Wednesday.

"People are pretty negative on AI." Data centers in particular have become quite the pariah.

Altman has previously spoken about the backlash against the industry, including local opposition to data center projects nationwide.

"I understand emotionally why people don't want data centers in their backyard in the same way that I don't really want a nuclear power plant next to my house, even though I know it's a super safe thing," Altman said during an interview last month.

In March, Altman was blunt in his assessment at a BlackRock event.

"AI is not very popular in the US right now," Altman said during BlackRock's US Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C.

In April, an attacker threw a Molotov cocktail at Altman's San Francisco mansion and later threatened to burn down OpenAI before being taken into custody.

"A lot of the criticism of our industry comes from sincere concern about the incredibly high stakes of this technology," Altman wrote in a post on his personal blog after the attack.

He added that "overall, I believe technological progress can make the future unbelievably good, for your family and mine.