OpenAI is already trying to shape the 2028 election

Key Points:

• OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, Chris Lehane, views the 2028 presidential election as a pivotal moment for AI policy and urges politicians to develop meaningful strategies addressing public concerns, rather than merely responding to anti-AI sentiment.
• Lehane compares AI’s transformative economic potential to FDR’s New Deal, advocating for policies that promote worker protections, education, AI safety, and data center development, while encouraging broader AI adoption and infrastructure expansion.
• Critics, including AI Now Institute’s Kate Brennan, argue Lehane’s proposals prioritize corporate benefits over binding measures to prevent economic disruption or wealth concentration caused by AI, highlighting a lack of concrete protections for displaced workers.
• Lehane emphasizes the economic benefits of data centers despite bipartisan opposition due to environmental and cost concerns, warning that restricting data center growth could harm U.S. competitiveness with China.
• While calling for AI safety standards and human control over AI decisions, Lehane’s positions face skepticism given OpenAI’s past opposition to certain regulatory measures, raising questions about the company’s commitment to enforceable oversight.