Federal law enforcement agencies are tracking what they describe as an emerging threat of “anti-tech extremism” as concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) continue to grow across the United States, according to internal government documents obtained by Wired.
The unpublished reports, reportedly originating from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and regional intelligence fusion centers, warn that widespread AI adoption could contribute to social unrest and, in some cases, violence directed at the technology sector.
One report from the New York Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau stated that widespread AI adoption may “fuel large-scale protests that devolve into civil unrest and anti-tech violent extremist activity,” particularly in major urban centers such as New York City.
Another report from a Western Pennsylvania fusion center, which coordinates intelligence sharing between federal, state and local authorities, warned that “adversarial actors, including state-sponsored entities, criminal groups, and extremists, such as homegrown violent extremists or environmental extremists, may target U.S. data centers.”
The report added, “these actors could exploit the strategic importance of data centers to the U.S. economy, using them for activities like cryptocurrency mining or leveraging third-party entities, such as front companies, to gain access to U.S. data and infrastructure.”
A report from the Northern Virginia Regional Intelligence Center warned that anti-government violent extremists have conducted pre-operational planning targeting data centers and other critical infrastructure in an effort to disrupt government operations.
“The FBI investigates individuals who commit or intend to commit violence and criminal activity that constitutes a federal crime or poses a threat to national security,” the FBI told Wired when sought for comment.
The warnings come as opposition to AI-related infrastructure projects continues to grow across the U.S. An NBC News survey found that 46% of registered U.S. voters hold negative views of the technology.
Much of the resistance has been driven by concerns over rising electricity costs, heavy water consumption, and around-the-clock noise generated by data center operations.
Federal authorities have linked several recent violent incidents to opposition against AI and related infrastructure.
In April 2026, a man was charged with attempted murder after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The U.S. The Justice Department said investigators found a document titled “Your Last Warning” that detailed the suspect’s opposition to AI. The document included a list of AI executives he allegedly intended to target.
That same month, the home of Indianapolis City-County Council member Ron Gibson was struck by 13 bullets after he voiced support for a $500 million data center project.
As long as the term “extremism” is attached to a particular group that group will be closely monitored by the government. MAGA “extremists” were monitored by the Biden administration and now anti-tech “extremists” are being monitored by the Trump administration.
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. – The Who
The latest news about anti-AI activity and the government/industry response to it is flowing like a prequel to “The Terminator” movies.
Sigh. Got to demonize the peasants usurping the lobbyists and politicians getting paid.
One of these monstrosities is being built less than 5 miles from my front steps on what used to be a phenomenally productive watershed. The local politicians here are all about runway growth and development, as long as a few people benefit.
It was sold to the people around this community as being a tire plant extension for an already existing tire plant, and not a data center. Well, lies aren’t lies if they get you what you want, right?
If your family suffers for it? F___ you, redneck.
Western South Carolina is lauded as some conservative Haven, where the people’s rights come before big government or big corporations. Horse dung.
The cotton mill mentality is still alive and well in the western SC culture. “You best do what I say, boy, or you gonna pay.” Unless you are grist
for the mill to run the machines? You’re just an irrelevant wretched peasant and don’t matter.
Unfortunately AI is this century’s nuclear arms race. It’s potentially deadly. It’s toxic to produce. Nobody wants it in their back yard. If it goes bad it will likely go real bad. Yet, it’s too late to put the Genie back in the bottle and the race is already on. The country that takes and maintains the lead will dictate geopolitics beyond the next century. Which is why the bulk of US anti AI protests and propaganda is being organized, funded and/or disseminated by the Chinese and their same proxy, funding and fomenting the current division in the US. The best we can hope for is the use and development of more efficient systems (closed water over evaporation cooling, gray water use, sight augmented energy production, etc.) and that the systems don’t become self-aware and turn on us a la Skynet Terminator style. That said God forbid the US loses this race.
So common sense, patriotism and concern over controlling interests’ threats to freedom are extremism now.
Sounds like the FBI hasnt changed much after all.
If we keep this up, China is going to be the only ones that innovate and build advanced AI capability. They are already re-vamping their tech, water, electric, and land-use infrastructure to support it and then they’ll try corner the market and future capability (just like rare-earths, water, and telecom). While we sit scared and cry about AI data centers coming to our communities – INSTEAD OF asking our legislators and corperations “what are you going to do FOR us, instead of TO us in the long run concerning AI?, How are you going to balance the power, water, land, and security needs against the values that our community hold?”
AI is the next industry revolution. if we don’t go back to innovating and building big stuff (like planned, integrated, and powerful electrical infrustructure- cause ours currently ain’t- its been cobbled together since the 50s) and innovating like America used to, we’ll be left behind.