From The Verge · Hayden Field · · 3m
Democrats sweep midterms with AI regulation agenda
A wave of newly elected Democrats campaigned against AI companies and won. The industry now faces regulation, data center slowdowns, and congressional scrutiny.
In brief
A wave of newly elected Democrats campaigned against AI companies and won. The industry now faces regulation, data center slowdowns, and congressional scrutiny. Democrats won control of Congress on November fifth, twenty twenty-six, with AI regulation a central campaign theme. AI companies now face regulation, data…
Democrats win control of Congress
On Tuesday night, Democrats took control of the House and the Senate. A blue wave swept through traditionally red and swing states with historic wins.
AI accountability was a campaign theme
In these and other campaigns, one theme kept coming up: holding AI companies accountable to the American people. Now the AI industry faces regulation and data center slowdowns.
AI CEOs have stayed publicly silent
OpenAI and Anthropic did not provide comments to The Verge. Elon Musk's call on X to vote red for the midterms vanished after results poured in.
Privately, executives are nervous
CEOs have discussed significant compute capacity constraints after Tuesday's results, particularly OpenAI. Meta's platforms president says many are considering moving data center construction abroad.
Congress may demand testimony
Many incoming leaders have promised to drag CEOs to testify. A former X product lead warned on X that this will be like the Nuremberg Trials but for AI researchers.
“This is going to be like the Nuremberg Trials but for AI researchers.”
Election was a total repudiation
Wes McEnany, former Deputy Labor Policy Director of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, says Tuesday's results were a total repudiation of the AI field.
“total repudiation”
Data center moratoria passed overwhelmingly
Forty-three out of forty-four local data center moratoria on Tuesday's ballots passed. In Texas, governor-elect Gina Hinojosa plans to issue a moratorium on all data center approvals.
Voters overwhelmingly oppose data centers
When NBC News polled voters on Tuesday, seventy-six percent opposed data centers in their communities. Residents are concerned about noise pollution and electricity bill rate hikes.
Data center backlash is bipartisan
The data center backlash is one of the most bipartisan political issues, according to Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and director of the Guardrails Alliance, a Super PAC pushing for AI regulation.
“The data center backlash is one of the most bipartisan political issues I've ever seen.”
State AI restrictions are now safe
Experts say the midterm results have likely ended Trump and congressional Republicans' repeated attempts to bar state-level AI restrictions. Any member voting to wipe out state AI laws will face electoral consequences.
AI safety legislation is now likely
Sen.Mark Warner was reelected after campaigning for AI safety policy.Some AI safety legislation is already being considered, like the bill to ban superintelligence introduced in September by Sen.Bernie Sanders and Rep.Greg Casar.
Republicans must choose their path
President Trump has dismissed AI safety concerns as a hoax. After the midterms, Republican lawmakers must decide whether to fall in line or negotiate with Democrats on safety-focused policy measures.
Democrats chart new tech policy course
There are open questions about where Democrats go next on tech policy. Adam Kovacevich, founder and CEO of Chamber of Progress, expects AI safety legislation to continue in blue states.
What it means
Democrats won control of Congress on November fifth, twenty twenty-six, with AI regulation a central campaign theme. AI companies now face regulation, data center construction slowdowns, and pressure to testify before Congress.
