A legislator’s home shot up in Indianapolis, weakening public support and rising political resistance signal a bumpy road ahead for AI expansion. The Gist AI’s growth has a physical backlash. Data centers are no longer invisible infrastructure — they are becoming flashpoints in local communities. Trust now shapes scale. Public resistance, political scrutiny and permitting delays could slow AI expansion as much as technical bottlenecks. CMOs and CX leaders should pay attention. Brand perception around AI may increasingly depend on how responsibly companies build, not just what their models can do. The wooden front door was filled with bullet holes. There were 12 distinct entry points, all shot by a crazed opponent of data centers into the home of Indianapolis legislator Ron Gibson. The bullets landed just steps away from where Gibson’s 8-year-old son had built LEGOs a day before. On the front porch, the shooter left a handwritten note. “No Data Centers,” it said.…