Only About Half the AI Datacenter Capacity Scheduled Through 2028 Is Expected to Come Online — vs. a 72% Historical Rate

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CNN reported August 6, 2026 that despite 71% of Americans opposing datacenters in a recent Gallup poll, local opposition isn't the binding constraint — labor and construction are. Goldman Sachs data puts the historical on-time delivery rate for scheduled datacenter capacity at ~72%, but only roughly half of AI compute capacity slated to activate between now and 2028 is expected to actually arrive. The American Edge Project estimates meeting the announced buildout would require adding 500,000 electricians, 300,000 welders and 550,000 plumbers, which is the quietest and most concrete argument yet that announced compute figures should be halved before anyone plans against them.