How the Democrats' election victory affects Big Tech

The big tech companies are currently spending billions to expand the infrastructure for artificial intelligence (AI). Huge data centers are springing up in many places in the US - but three out of four US citizens don't want one in their neighborhood, according to surveys.

The high energy and water consumption, as well as air pollution from back-up generators, have made them unwelcome neighbors.

Newly elected Democrats are promising a change of course

He doesn't work for power companies, data centers or Wall Street, but for Ohio, said the state's newly elected Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.

Ohio, South Carolina and Texas - states where data centers are being built and where more should be planned. Gina Hinojosa, who was elected as the new governor of Texas, announced a data center moratorium during her election campaign. Newly elected Texas Senator James Talarico says similar things.

Between irony, serenity and concern

The two Democrats won in a state where Elon Musk's companies SpaceX and Tesla are based. And in which Musk supported the Republicans with over 200 million dollars in the elections - without success.

"Data centers in space sound pretty attractive right now" - that was Musk's reaction to the election results. For now, he and other tech companies will continue to rely on locations on the ground.

The head of the Californian chip company AMD, Lisa Su, sees on CNBC no reason to revise her company's future plans: global demand is so great that we have to work together and get it done.

Analyst John Vinh sees cause for concern at Bloomberg: If the expansion of data centers were really slowed down, then this could potentially have an impact on AI companies.

Are the tech bosses' businesses being investigated?

Data centers will also be an issue in Congress, and laws to control AI - California MP Ted Lieu has already announced this. However, the chances of such legislative proposals in the next two years will also depend on President Donald Trump, who has announced that he wants to use his veto power.

In addition, Democrats in Congress could also initiate investigations into the tech companies' business - such as their relationships with the president, government contracts or planned mergers.