AI and Data Centers

April 21-27, 2026
Weighted Results

For the most part, do you think society’s increased use of artificial intelligence, or AI, will make your life better, worse, or have little to no impact either way?
Response option	Percent	Count
Better	27%	173
Worse	41%	262
Little to no impact	18%	118
Not sure	14%	87
Refuse	0%	2
Total	100%	642

**When it comes to job creation, for the most part, do you think AI, will:**
Response option	Percent	Count
Create more jobs than it eliminates	7%	46
Eliminate more jobs than it creates	74%	473
Have little to no impact on jobs	13%	82
Not sure	6%	41
Refuse	0%	1
Total	100%	642

**How much, if at all, have you heard about the growth of AI data centers in New Jersey?**
Response option	Percent	Count
A lot	24%	154
A little	30%	195
Not much	23%	148
Nothing at all	21%	133
Not sure	2%	11
Refuse	0%	1
Total	100%	642

**How concerned are you, if at all, about the impact of data centers on electricity costs in New Jersey?**
Response option	Percent	Count
Very concerned	54%	349
Somewhat concerned	27%	174
Not too concerned	8%	53
Not at all concerned	6%	41
Not sure	4%	24
Refuse	0%	1
Total	100%	642

**How concerned are you, if at all, about the environmental impact of data centers including water and energy use?**
Response option	Percent	Count
Very concerned	50%	322
Somewhat concerned	26%	166
Not too concerned	11%	72
Not at all concerned	9%	59
Not sure	3%	21
Refuse	0%	1
Total	100%	642

**In your view, do data centers generally benefit the communities where they are located, harm those communities, or have little impact either way?**
Response option	Percent	Count
Benefit	8%	49
Harm	49%	316
Little impact either way	22%	143
Not sure	21%	132
Refuse	0%	2
Total	100%	642

**Some towns in New Jersey have proposed local laws to ban data centers. Would you support or oppose such a ban in the town where you live?**
Response option	Percent	Count
Support	56%	362
Oppose	22%	142
Not sure	21%	132
Refuse	1%	4
Total	100%	642

Please state whether you would support or oppose New Jersey doing each of the following: (Note: Order was randomized)

**Offering technology companies tax breaks or subsidies to attract data center development in New Jersey:**
Response option	Percent	Count
Support	18%	116
Oppose	72%	464
Not sure	9%	57
Refuse	1%	5
Total	100%	642

**Requiring large data centers to supply their own new sources of electricity rather than relying on the existing electric grid:**
Response option	Percent	Count
Support	84%	541
Oppose	9%	59
Not sure	6%	40
Refuse	0%	3
Total	100%	642

**Requiring data centers to meet stricter environmental or energy efficiency standards:**
Response option	Percent	Count
Support	81%	518
Oppose	11%	72
Not sure	7%	45
Refuse	1%	7
Total	100%	642

**If you had to choose, which of the following approaches toward data center development would you prefer New Jersey to take?**
Response option	Percent	Count
Encourage development with strict regulations on energy usage and environmental impacts	46%	295
Encourage development with fewer regulations to promote economic growth	12%	75
Discourage data center development altogether	35%	224
Not sure	8%	49
Refuse	0%	0
Total	100%	642

**Thinking about government regulation of technology companies overall, which do you prefer:**
Response option	Percent	Count
More regulation to protect consumers and the public	68%	439
Less regulation to promote economic growth	22%	141
Not sure	8%	53
Refuse	2%	10
Total	100%	642

Demographics

Age
Age group	Percent	Count
18-29	14%	90
30-44	22%	141
45-64	32%	205
65 and older	29%	187
Refuse	3%	18
Total	100%	642

**County recoded as region**
Response option	Percent	Count
Gateway	47%	300
Northwest	12%	77
South	5%	35
Shore	18%	119
Delaware River	14%	90
Refuse	3%	21
Total	100%	642

**Hispanic/Latino Origin**
Response option	Percent	Count
Yes, Hispanic or Latino	14%	93
No	81%	520
Refuse	4%	29
Total	100%	642

**Race**
Response option	Percent	Count
White	66%	421
Black or African American	12%	79
Asian or Pacific Islander	4%	24
Other/Multiracial	11%	68
Refuse	8%	50
Total	100%	642

**Education**
Response option	Percent	Count
Less than a four-year college degree	55%	354
A four-year college degree or more	42%	270
Refuse	3%	18
Total	100%	642

**Household income**
Response option	Percent	Count
Less than $50,000	15%	93
$50,000 to less than $100,000	22%	143
$100,000 or more	46%	298
Refuse	17%	108
Total	100%	642

**Party ID**
Response option	Percent	Count
Democrat	36%	231
Republican	23%	148
Independent	28%	177
Other/Not Sure/Refuse	13%	87
Total	100%	642

**Gender**
Response option	Percent	Count
Man	48%	308
Woman	50%	321
Identify another way or refuse	2%	13
Total	100%	642

Methodology

The poll of New Jersey residents was sponsored and conducted by the Stockton Polling Institute of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. Data collection took place from April 21-27, 2026 using NJ voter list sample. A total of 642 New Jersey registered voters were interviewed. Responses were recorded via telephone or online in English. Overall, 87% of interviews were conducted on cell phones and 13% on landline phones. In terms of mode, 78% were reached via dialing with the survey administered by a live interviewer and 22% were reached via text-to-web. The live calls were conducted by Opinion Services. The text messages were sent by Stockton Polling Institute staff from the university’s Galloway campus and included a single-use link to take the survey online. The data were weighted to balance the sample demographics using iterative proportional fitting. Weights were based on the voting eligible population in New Jersey on variables of age, race/ethnicity, education level, region, and sex. The poll's margin of error is +/- 3.9 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. The margin of sampling error is higher for subsets. Sampling error does not account for other potential sources of bias in polls such as measurement error or non-response. The poll has a design effect of 1.26. The design effect reflects the increase in sampling variance introduced by weighting adjustments.