OpenAI Begins Shaping the Agenda for the 2028 Election
OpenAI’s New Political Vision
Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s head of global affairs, believes the 2028 U.S. presidential election will be a turning point for artificial intelligence. In a published essay, the company executive urges politicians to move beyond anti-AI rhetoric and criticism of data centres, calling instead for concrete policy action.
Lehane compares the potential of AI to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 'New Deal,' implemented in the 1930s to overcome economic crisis. He argues that today’s Americans are anxious about their economic future and that a 'third way' is needed to allow citizens to benefit from technological progress. His five-point plan includes workforce protection, education reform, AI safety, and infrastructure development.
Criticism and Doubts
Despite the optimistic tone, experts remain sceptical of OpenAI’s initiative. Kate Brannen, a policy expert at the AI Now Institute, believes Lehane’s rhetoric serves the company’s interests rather than the public good. She notes that using the 'New Deal' metaphor is misleading, as OpenAI’s proposed policies do not account for limiting corporate power or ensuring real accountability to employees.
Critics also point out that OpenAI’s proposals are primarily aimed at expanding infrastructure and the mass adoption of AI. For instance, Lehane supports the construction of data centres and warns politicians that imposing a moratorium on them could jeopardise U.S. leadership in competition with China. However, the document lacks specific mechanisms for how profits generated by AI should be distributed equitably.
What Awaits the Tech Sector?
Lehane’s initiative includes AI safety standards, independent assessments, and a so-called 'kill switch,' which critics argue is a double-edged policy. In recent years, OpenAI has repeatedly opposed legislative efforts demanding strict safety regulations, including in California.
Nevertheless, artificial intelligence is occupying an increasingly prominent place on the U.S. political agenda. Electricity consumption by data centres, the automation of jobs, and the rise of technological monopolies are issues that will become priorities for voters in the coming years.
For readers, this topic is significant because policies developed by global tech giants will ultimately define ethical and economic standards for AI worldwide. OpenAI’s attempt to shape the 2028 election agenda indicates that private companies are already directly attempting to influence state policy, which will create both new opportunities and risks in the future.