In System Error: Where Big Tech Went Wrong and How We Can Reboot It, Stanford ethicist Rob Reich recounts a dinner where Silicon Valley technologists imagined a small, state-like entity dedicated to advancing science and technology through commercial models. When Reich asked if this state would be democratic, the answer was a resounding no. “Democracy is too slow, and it holds science back,” he was told. “To optimize for science, we need a beneficent technocrat in charge.” This vision of technocratic governance has since collided with the realities of democracy, as Silicon Valley’s ambitions to reshape the world with artificial intelligence face unexpected resistance from the public. The backlash against AI has grown sharply, with 73% of Americans believing the costs of AI datacenters outweigh their benefits, according to a survey by the Marquette University Law School. A similar survey found that 70% of Americans think AI is harmful to society. In 2021, only 37% of Americans expressed more concern than excitement about AI, but that number has now climbed to 52%. Even among young adults, who are typically the most enthusiastic about new technology, 55% have become more skeptical. This shift is not limited to any political party—both Democrats and Republicans are more concerned than excited about AI’s future. The public’s distrust of AI is also tied to a broader skepticism of the technologists who are driving its development. Many Americans feel that Silicon Valley’s elite has been allowed to pursue a potentially civilization-threatening project without public input or accountability. This sentiment is echoed by Henry Farrell, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University, who notes that the opposition to datacenters reflects a frustration with the feeling that people are not making choices that affect their lives. AI ethicist Rumman Chowdhury adds that the dominant narrative from Silicon Valley—that AI is so powerful that it cannot be controlled—serves as a way to avoid responsibility for the consequences of their products. Despite the public’s resistance, the development of AI infrastructure, such as datacenters, is unlikely to halt. Donald Trump remains a strong ally of Silicon Valley’s vision for the future, and the Environmental Protection Agency is moving to remove rules that require public input on projects like datacenters. Meanwhile, bipartisan support for maintaining the U.S.’s technological edge over China may continue to drive policy decisions, even as the public remains wary. The challenge ahead is whether the tech elite, who show little regard for democratic processes, can navigate the growing skepticism and find a way to align their ambitions with the will of the people.