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Tech CEOs Reported Strong Demand for Data Centers

Despite rising local opposition and new regulatory hurdles, firms report no decline in capacity orders.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Data Centers

Isometric editorial illustration showing a dense grid of industrial server power and cooling infrastructure in neutral tones, representing data center capacity.
CoreWeave and other tech firms report sustained demand for AI data center capacity, despite significant regulatory hurdles and local pushback across the United States. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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CoreWeave CEO Michael Intrator confirmed that demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure remains strong. This update follows a White House meeting where President Donald Trump and major tech leaders discussed future development plans.

Why it matters

High demand persists despite a national sentiment shift, as companies grapple with a growing divide between AI infrastructure needs and local regulatory pushback.

A recent survey shows that 65% of registered voters oppose the construction of data centers in their communities. Meanwhile, industry leaders are shifting development strategies toward areas with fewer regional restrictions.

The players

Michael Intrator

He is the CEO of CoreWeave and a central voice in discussions regarding the ongoing demand for AI-driven data center capacity.

Donald Trump

He is the current President of the United States who recently met with major industry executives to discuss infrastructure development.

Kathy Hochul

She is the Governor of New York who enacted a statewide moratorium on large-scale data center construction.

The details

Tech firms are actively relocating infrastructure projects to bypass regional regulations, such as the moratorium signed in New York in July 2026. CoreWeave formally identified these regulatory restrictions as a significant risk factor in its Q2 10-Q filing.

Timeline

  1. July 2026: New York signed a statewide data center moratorium.

  2. Q2 2026: CoreWeave filed a 10-Q report noting moratorium risks.

  3. September 29, 2026: President Trump met with major AI company leaders at the White House.

  4. September 30, 2026: CoreWeave CEO Michael Intrator stated order volume remains high.

  5. November 2026: United States midterm elections are scheduled.

The Tech Race

The industry is increasingly moving away from restrictive zones in favor of more welcoming regions to keep pace with the AI boom. This shift marks a departure from legacy deployment models that prioritized proximity to urban centers over regulatory favorability.

As companies move projects to new regions, residents in previously unaffected areas may see sudden proposals for large-scale data center construction. These developments often impact local utility demands and may influence regional planning decisions and community zoning rules.

The takeaway

While tech firms maintain that orders are not slowing down, the industry must still reconcile aggressive growth targets with widespread public opposition. Strategic site selection has become as critical as the hardware itself for ensuring projects proceed as planned.

What happens next

Future developments in data center policy are expected to be influenced by the outcomes of the United States midterm elections in November 2026.

Further reading

Learn more about the infrastructure landscape in the Data Centers section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Business Insider.

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Would you support the construction of a new data center in your local community?