Democrats plan to regulate AI itself, not just data centers

Data centers dominated the election

Forty ballot measures to slow or stop data centers passed. In an exit poll, fifty-six percent of respondents said AI and data centers were a crucial or major factor in their Congressional vote.

Why voters turned against data centers

Data centers power AI and have become deeply unpopular not just because of noisiness, ugliness, or electricity demand, but because of what they symbolize: the acceleration of a technology many Americans fear.

But data centers are only part of the story

Even a successful push against data centers will slow, but not stop, the buildout. AI companies will find jurisdictions willing to let them build, it will just cost them more.

The bigger victory: AI safety advocates

Voters elected a new crop of leaders promising to regulate the technology itself. These candidates are concerned about AI regulation and safety, signaling they will push for laws addressing risks from cyber hacks to bioweapons…

A shift since the summer hacks

Before summer, policymakers discussed AI at a high level of abstraction. After major AI hacks this summer, many candidates became safety-focused, understanding that AI models may be highly capable and pose unique risks.

Abdul El-Sayed's AI safety agenda

The newly elected Michigan Senator advocates a full-on pause on frontier AI research, global coordination including a treaty with China, a ban on recursive self-improvement, and a new federal safety agency to inspect companies and…

Jon Ossoff warns of extinction risk

The newly elected Georgia Senator lambasted AI developers in his victory speech, saying they warn that artificial intelligence risks human extinction. In September he explicitly mentioned catastrophic risks like AI-engineered bioweapons.

“The titans of Silicon Valley dig bunkers for themselves and warn that the artificial intelligence they're creating risks human extinction.”

Scott Wiener's California track record

The newly elected California congressman authored SB 1047, which was vetoed, and SB 53, which was signed into law.

Other new safety advocates in Congress

Manny Rutinel won in Colorado after cosponsoring a 2024 law regulating AI use. Sam Forstag became Montana's first Democratic member of Congress in decades, stating AI poses an existential risk to all of humanity.

Troy Jackson's Maine victory

The newly elected Maine Senator has vowed he is not going to let billionaires write the rules.

“We are not that far from 'Terminator,' and I don't want to be 'hasta la vista, baby.'”

Democrats plan aggressive hearings

Sen. Ed Markey, reelected in Massachusetts, signaled he is coming for Big Tech executives. He posted on X that they will need to plant new forests for all of the subpoenas Democrats will be printing.

“They are going to need to plant new forests for all of the subpoenas we'll be printing.”

What the hearings will focus on

Hearings will focus on safety practices and evidence that companies' practices are not up to standard.

Maria Cantwell's AI framework

Sen.Maria Cantwell, slated to chair the Senate Commerce Committee, has put out a framework for governing AI with potential bipartisan appeal.

Path to bipartisan support

Brad Carson, who leads Americans for Responsible AI, believes Democrats can get Republican votes on Cantwell's framework.

Trump's veto power remains

President Donald Trump ultimately holds veto power and has allowed American tech companies to race ahead with very few guardrails.

Data centers as a stepping stone

Voters focused on data centers this election cycle, but as cyber breaches and security incidents proliferate, they will likely move from symbol to substance, focusing more on AI safety itself in the run-up to 2028.

The data center revolt as prelude

Greg Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said the revolt against data centers was one of the top issues of the 2026 election.

“The revolt against data centers was one of the top issues of the 2026 election, and in a few years we will look back on it as just the early tremor of a much bigger AI earthquake upending American politics.”