OpenAI tells 2028 US election candidates: AI will be a key question they must answer
OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane privately sent a memo to about six potential candidates interested in running in the 2028 US presidential election, saying that AI will become a major issue that shapes the next presidential race. He warned Democrats that if they oppose building the infrastructure needed for AI development, they could be at a disadvantage in the policy debate, and urged candidates to give voters a complete governance vision on issues such as taxation in the AI era, child protection, and human-led decision-making.
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OpenAI Tells 2028 US Election Candidates: AI Will Be a Key Question They Must Answer IT Home Download the App for Exclusive Early Access November 03, 2026 07:27:52 From Shandong Updated November 03, 2026 08:29:09
IT Home, November 3 news: According to a report by Business Insider on the evening of the 2nd, OpenAI's Chief Global Affairs Officer, Chris Lehane, who is in charge of lobbying, privately proposed to people interested in running in the 2028 US presidential election that AI will become an important issue that decides the next presidential race.
In a memo, Lehane pointed out that candidates cannot just prepare a few sets of talking points around campaign hot topics; they also need to present a complete set of AI governance ideas. He specifically warned Democrats that if they oppose building the infrastructure needed for AI development, they may be at a disadvantage in this policy debate.
Lehane believes that the battle over data centers may have an impact far beyond local construction projects themselves. As the two US parties begin preparing for the next presidential election, OpenAI is trying to use this to influence potential presidential candidates' understanding of AI and their public statements.
A person familiar with the matter revealed that the memo was sent to about six potential candidates, several members of Congress, and prominent political figures.
Lehane also compared the AI era to the "New Deal" proposed in 1932, arguing that the next president has an opportunity to redefine "the relationship between people and a transformative new force that is changing their lives."
In Lehane's view, AI has already begun to affect the 2026 elections. Data centers that have encountered public opposition have become the focus of the cost-of-living controversy, reflecting that public concerns are not limited to the construction of facilities themselves. Rapid technological development has also made voters anxious, because they believe the original social contract has been broken.
However, by 2028, as AI capabilities further strengthen and the American public becomes more familiar with the technology, the situation will also change. Lehane urged candidates to explain to voters how to ensure that major decisions remain human-led, how taxation should work in the AI era, how to protect children, whether AI can reduce the burden of living costs, and whether the United States can maintain its technological advantage. "Candidates who can succeed will not promise to stop the future from arriving, nor will they simply believe that everything will work out smoothly. They will show Americans how to shape the future and benefit from it."
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