Gen Z's quest for control shows in faith and fights over data centers
According to Harris Poll data, 33% of Gen Z identify as religious, the highest among generations surveyed, while their 'neither religious nor spiritual' rate is the lowest. The same cohort is leading opposition to AI data centers, with over 500 localities imposing restrictions and $228 billion in projects delayed since 2025. Harris Poll's Libby Rodney attributes both trends to a desire for agency and control, noting a 'lack of consent' from tech companies.
The Harris Poll data reveals a striking generational inversion: Gen Z reports the highest religious identification (33%) while also showing the lowest rate of “neither religious nor spiritual” (19%). This same group drives opposition to AI data centers, with over 500 local restrictions and $228 billion in delayed projects since 2025. Libby Rodney links both to a quest for agency, noting 57% of Gen Z use spirituality for control over their future.
The backlash is intensely local, with 843 opposition groups across 49 states and 73% of Americans rejecting AI imposed on their community. Rodney emphasizes that data centers are tangible infrastructure, unlike abstract AI policy, making them a focal point for civic action. Economic anxiety underpins this: 70% of Gen Z say the promised future hasn’t arrived, and 61% skipped medical care due to cost.
This convergence of faith and infrastructure resistance may signal a broader shift in how younger generations assert influence. If Gen Z consistently channels its desire for control into local civic engagement, data center siting could become a recurring flashpoint, affecting tech investment timelines and community planning. The religious dimension suggests a search for meaning beyond material progress, which could reshape political priorities around consent and transparency. However, these trends may also reflect transient economic stress rather than durable generational values.