The AI industry faces a sharp public backlash driven by safety concerns, job anxiety, and rising energy costs for data centers—despite industry experts remaining optimistic about AI's long-term benefits. Two high-profile violent incidents in April (an attack on Sam Altman's home and shots fired at an Indianapolis councilman's residence over data center opposition) dramatized public anger, though the article correctly notes these attacks are not representative tactics. Stanford's AI Index and Gallup polling show a stark expert-public divide: 73% of AI researchers are optimistic about job impacts while only 23% of Americans agree, with Gen Z anger about AI surging from 22% to 31% in a year. The article's underlying claim—that the industry has failed to articulate tangible public benefits while asking for massive investment—is supported by data showing 80% of companies report zero productivity gains from AI and 95% of pilot programs delivered no return, though the framing emphasizes industry failures over potential longer-term benefits that may not yet be measurable.