/Tech2h ago

Mark Cuban argues data center opposition is a proxy for AI resentment, advising LLM firms to directly fund local transition programs

Story Overview

Cuban frames pushback against AI data centers as a stand-in for wider anger at wealth concentration and job displacement, so he wants frontier LLM companies to skip further explanations and instead cut checks for town-level job retraining and creative support programs.

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#178

Original post

Mark Cuban@mcuban#810inTech

It’s time for everyone to realize that the fight against data centers has nothing to do with data centers.

They have become a proxy for the hate towards AI and the concentration and accumulation of wealth it’s creating.

Until those running the big LLMs understand this and start a community tour, not to explain the benefits of AI, it’s too late for that, but to help towns and cities that may be impacted by job losses (and I’m a believer their will be a net gains in a few years), this battle is only going to get more intense and let me tell you now , no matter how much money you pay to buy politicians and races, you will lose.

One thing I have learned is being hated is not good for business.

How can they help ? They will tell you. You will need to do what they ask. Billions of dollars is a lot of money across towns and city programs. Across the major LLMs, it’s a cost of doing business.

At the same time, I would go to LA and NYC and ask the arts and creative unions what kind of programs would help and protect their artists. DO NOT GO TO THE MUSIC OR FILM COMPANIES. that will make it worse.

Don’t try to pay famous people to endorse what you are doing. That’s dumb.

Talk to artists and ask them what you can do to provide financial and creative support. Every creative I know is TERRIFIED about what AI will do to their profession. You must meet them face to face and basically do what they say.

The big LLMs have lost the PR battle. Why ? Because they all suck at putting people first. They have an SV attitude that makes them all think they are John Galt saving the world

Given the number of data centers and power that is needed, today and going forward , If you don’t kiss the asses of the people that go to work every day, and are just trying to pay their bills, you will fall far far short of the capacity you need to make your business work.

11:25 AM · Jun 25, 2026 · 455.1K Views

Cost Pressure

Direct spending beats explanations

He calls billions spread across local programs simply a cost of doing business, though no dollar figures, timelines, or committed towns appear in the post.

Open Question

Artists and unions get a seat

Cuban specifically wants direct talks with artists and creative unions (not music or film companies) to shape support packages, leaving open whether any firms have started those conversations.

Sentiment

Positive users thank Mark Cuban for defending artists left behind by AI, while negative users hate AI data centers for their noise, water use, power demands, and community destruction.

Pos

30.8%

Neg

69.2%

140 comments with sentiment.

Cluster Engagement

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Gary Marcus@GaryMarcus

Disagree with @mcuban’s opening sentence – I do think some people genuinely hate the noise, blight, impact on electric prices, etc—but he is quite right that data centers have become a proxy for hate towards AI—and that Silicon Valley overlords have brought this on themselves.

Mark Cuban@mcuban

It’s time for everyone to realize that the fight against data centers has nothing to do with data centers.

They have become a proxy for the hate towards AI and the concentration and accumulation of wealth it’s creating.

One thing I have learned is being hated is not good for business.

Don’t try to pay famous people to endorse what you are doing. That’s dumb.

The big LLMs have lost the PR battle. Why ? Because they all suck at putting people first. They have an SV attitude that makes them all think they are John Galt saving the world

1h5.1K634

LIKES110

AntifaPuddin’Pop@Andie00471

I used to admire you. The stupidity of the first two sentences in this post is distressing. People hate AI data centers because residents are tortured by constant whining noise and light pollution. They are left w losses on the equity built over a lifetime in their homes. The centers are hideous and they disrupt the national harmony of residential areas. Kids who used to be able to walk to school now take the bus to go around hundreds of acres of industrial Park. Neighbors are cut off from each other. Access to community services are cut off from certain communities. Shall I go on? Leading with, it’s just jealousy because of rich people, is so insulting to the real human beings who have to live with the impact of these centers going in after residential areas have already been established. Officially unfollowed your account for whatever it’s worth

2h2.7K1102

Mark Cuban@mcuban

@Andie00471 Where was this fight against the CHIPS act ?

2h2.8K21

itsjaredlol@itsjaredlol

@mcuban @Andie00471 did the CHIPS act force everyone to build 60+ datacenters around the areas we live and force noise and light pollution down our throats? did they give the companies rights over our water usage and electricity usage? how are you this smart and so stupid?

2h42829

Mark R. Yzaguirre@markyzaguirre

@mcuban Too many AI company leaders have seemed gleeful when talking about mass unemployment that AI supposedly will cause. It’s no surprise they have a legitimacy problem.

2h63426

Gary Marcus@GaryMarcus

@mcuban Sharply disagree with opening sentence but agree with much of the rest:

Gary Marcus@GaryMarcus

1h967131

Farzad 🇺🇸 🇮🇷@farzyness

@mcuban I keep saying that the fix for this is STUPID easy.

Prove out the abundance thesis immediately.

These companies should pay for the electricity/water bill for every resident in a zip code/jurisdiction that approves a data center.

It's so freaking easy.

2h53223

AntifaPuddin’Pop@Andie00471

@itsjaredlol @mcuban My thoughts exactly. Whataboutism at its finest. I swear to fucking God both the people on the far left and the far right at this income bracket are gonna turn me into a socialist.

1h30412

Lynda TH7@Dragonflynda

In Virginia when data centers were first getting off the ground, I was in a conservation group that opposed them.

We had all kinds of experts in the group (environment, electrical, health, engineers, scientists) that created a presentation against data centers. There are very legitimate environmental concerns for these data centers, something that many residents in Virginia are now experiencing. Virginia is the leading state of the number of data centers.

The dangers cannot be ignored. It is damaging to the environment and to people's health.

Politicians only cared about $$$$$$$, which I would assume is your interest in this as well. They told us in advance they were going to approve them anyway.

I now live in another state, but I oppose data centers based on the real problems they present.

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neurowaxx@neurowaxx

@mcuban Data centers should pay for the electricity bill of everyone effected in the surrounding area . Up to $500/month

2h36811

Goke Alade@henrialade

Well said! @mcuban I think we have to start with rethinking about we source our energy and positioning of these data centers within these communities. Big Technology companies have lot of energy sustainable solutions that can hybrid communities with their solutions. All the stakeholders have to be part of the solution.

1h6932

Dr. Julie Gurner@drgurner

@mcuban Honestly Mark, if you get out into communities, it's not about AI at all.

I am pro-AI & the only pushback I see in my state of PA is around noise and pollution being so close to residential homes...

If they were set out 10 miles, no one would care. Please talk to folks.

1h2186

TheChosenOne@chosen_the43436

The “concentration of wealth” sounds horrible and unfair…except it isn’t actually happening. If you include the value of the government backed perpetual retirement annuities, the increasing “wealth gap” largely disappears. Add in the value of unlimited medical care through Medicare and the entire argument falls apart.

@Grok, what is the present value of an inflation adjusted, risk free annuity that pays out $2000/month, in perpetuity? Now add in the value of unlimited medical insurance coverage that pays 80% of all medical claims, in perpetuity.

What is the present value of both and how does that impact the “increasing wealth gap” the Marxists are so fond of referencing?

16m4092

Lindsey Bobbitt@sonorancleaners

@mcuban This is a conversation that should have been had at the start of Ai

21m411

Alex Finn@AlexFinn

@mcuban Bingo. It's just sad the major AI companies took so long to care about PR.

2h4944

Ryan Maue@RyanWeather

Tech companies paid for & then censored criticism of insane climate policy that trained a generation of activists to hate progress, and work on behalf of America's geopolitical rivals to kneecap our economy.

The data center opposition is the same playbook.

With socialism taking firm root in big blue cities, Big Tech is one election away from being wrecked.

1h1921

#ProgressiveStormRider@ProgStormRider

@Andie00471 @mcuban I dare him to park his ass, him & his family next to a data center for a few months.....

...and see him change his tune FASTER than you can say DATA CENTER ROCKS!

2h1114

Ryan McCormick@RyanMcC35236715

@mcuban Not just any community tour, bring the fruits of LLMs or don't tour at all. That's what is missing. The regular person needs to see their life improved on the back of AI innovation. There is no other bar that matters.

2h3373

AntifaPuddin’Pop@Andie00471

@mcuban *natural. But honestly if speech to text if your concern pls piss off.

2h2553

Gen Z Conservative@ZoomerGOP

@mcuban The truth is,

The hatred for Data centers is spread by

wildlife activists who misunderstand their consumption.

And Commies who want to handicap Americas development (whether theyre too stupid to know it or not)

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