OpenAI tells 2028 US election candidates: AI will be a key question they must answer
OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane sent a memo to about six potential presidential candidates, several members of Congress and prominent political figures, saying that AI will become a major issue shaping the 2028 US presidential race and that candidates need to present a complete vision for AI governance. He warned Democrats that opposing the construction of the infrastructure needed for AI development could put them at a disadvantage in the policy debate, and compared the AI era to the 1932 "New Deal."
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OpenAI Tells 2028 US Presidential Candidates: AI Will Be a Key Question They Must Answer
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In a memo, Lehane pointed out that candidates cannot simply prepare a few sets of talking points around campaign hot topics; they also need to present a complete vision for AI governance. He specifically warned Democrats that if they oppose building the infrastructure needed for AI development, they may find themselves at a disadvantage in this policy debate.
Lehane believes the impact of the data center fight may extend 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 met public opposition have become the focus of the cost-of-living debate, reflecting that public concerns are not limited to the facilities themselves. Technology developing too quickly also makes voters anxious, because they believe the original social contract has been broken.
But by 2028, as AI capabilities further strengthen and Americans become more familiar with the technology, the situation will also change. Lehane urged candidates to explain to voters how to ensure that major decisions remain led by humans, how taxes should be levied in the AI era, how to protect children, whether AI can ease 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 everything will work out. They will show Americans how to shape the future and benefit from it."