A Better Way to Build AI

The United States faces a challenge in balancing national ambitions for artificial intelligence infrastructure with local communities’ priorities due to a decentralized governance structure.
Key tensions arise between central technological strategies and local governance, as seen in disputes over data centers, transmission lines, and high-energy computing facilities.
Unlike China’s centralized approach, the U.S. must navigate opposition and build local legitimacy for infrastructure projects which threatens its lead in AI.
The lack of a model to connect national technological goals with local consent can lead to resistance, delaying projects, and fostering distrust between developers and communities.
Democratic institutions must adapt to maintain technological leadership by fostering genuine local buy-in, treating community engagement not as a hurdle but as an asset.
Achieving sustainable consent requires standardized transparency, clear local benefits, and ongoing community liaison and engagement.
Successful projects that benefit local communities, such as Google’s Texas expansion and Amazon’s involvement in Umatilla, Oregon, show the legitimacy advantage of integrating community interests.
Achieving local consent is crucial as it’s a necessary foundation for technological ambitions and for maintaining the country’s strategic edge in a decentralized political environment.

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