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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and other technology executives acknowledged that the public has legitimate reasons to fear artificial intelligence, even as they urged trust in AI companies to manage the risks responsibly. The comments come amid growing debate over the pace of AI development and its societal implications. A new poll adds to this debate, finding that more than half of Americans are increasingly alarmed by AI's ecological footprint, fearing that AI-driven data centers will raise electricity costs and strain water supplies. The findings suggest public anxiety about AI extends beyond existential or safety concerns to tangible economic and environmental impacts.