How AI Upended Politics and Left Lawmakers Scrambling To Pick a Side
Newsweek's AI Policy Scorecard shows AI took over Washington's agenda faster than the parties could decide what to do with it
In the wake of artificial intelligence's rapid evolution, American politicians find themselves unable to keep pace, with the issue now at the forefront of the 2026 midterms. President Donald Trump reportedly allocated over $2.7 trillion towards the AI industry, leading to a substantial influx of lobbying dollars. In the first half of 2026 alone, the top 11 technology and AI companies and their trade associations spent a staggering $41.8 million on federal lobbying efforts, marking an approximate 10 percent increase from the previous year.
The rise of AI as a political topic has even infiltrated zoning disputes surrounding data centers, transforming them into campaign advertisements. As the discussion of AI's potential threats, such as the eradication of humanity by killer robots, gained traction in cable news programs, a new challenge emerged for voters: determining a candidate's stance on AI.
Unlike other political issues, AI policy has proven difficult to categorize under a clear party label. Party affiliation no longer accurately predicts a candidate's position, leaving voters uncertain and scrambling to understand the nuances of AI policy in the 2026 election.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
