A growing movement against the construction of large data centers, which are essential for running artificial intelligence and cloud computing services, may soon reach France, according to French Economy Minister Roland Lescure. During a press conference in San Francisco, Lescure joined executives from companies like Nvidia, Meta, and SpaceX, who are advocating for governments to invest in these energy-intensive facilities. The issue has become a point of contention in the United States, where Donald Trump has criticized opponents of data centers, suggesting they risk leaving their regions "backward and poor." Lescure noted that while the U.S. has seen "rejection reactions" against data centers, these reactions may be more pronounced than in Europe. He said that similar opposition could arise in France, but stressed that companies must earn what he called a "social license"—a term meaning they must gain the support of local communities by demonstrating the benefits of their projects. He compared this need to the way nuclear power plants were initially met with resistance in France during the 1970s, but eventually gained public support due to the long-term economic and energy benefits they provided. The minister pointed to historical examples of infrastructure projects that initially faced resistance but later gained acceptance, such as the TGV high-speed rail network in the 1980s and modern wind farms. He argued that AI companies must do the same, ensuring that local communities see tangible benefits from data centers. Lescure also highlighted the advantages of the French electricity system, which he described as "decarbonated and cheap," with a reliable grid and faster approval processes. He praised French industrial companies like Schneider Electric and Legrand, which are involved in building AI infrastructure, and said that developing this new supply chain could help fund France's social model, which he noted is becoming more costly. During the same G20 meeting, Henna Virkkunen, Vice President of the European Commission, expressed concerns about the concentration of data centers in only a few European countries with abundant and low-carbon energy. She suggested that this uneven distribution is not an ideal solution for the continent's broader digital and energy goals.