OpenAI is already trying to shape the 2028 election

OpenAI's chief global affairs officer, Chris Lehane, believes that the 2028 presidential election could be a pivotal moment for artificial intelligence (AI). In a recent essay, Lehane draws a comparison between AI's potential to reshape the economy and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, which aimed to address economic turmoil following industrialization and the Great Depression.

Lehane encourages politicians to develop policies that tackle public concerns about AI, rather than merely expressing anti-AI sentiment. He outlines five policy priorities, including worker protections, education, AI safety, and data center development. The essay follows OpenAI's victory in the recent midterm elections, which was fueled by widespread voter frustration over the cost of living.

Critics argue that Lehane's vision, while appealing, lacks concrete measures to prevent AI's gains from being concentrated. They question how his proposals would hold AI companies accountable for the economic disruption their technology could cause. Lehane acknowledges these concerns but emphasizes AI as a means to greater prosperity for Americans.

Lehane's proposals for the tax code involve incentives for workers to learn AI skills and easier capital access for entrepreneurs. However, some experts suggest that binding requirements to ensure workers share in AI-generated wealth or companies pay the costs of displacing workers would be more effective. Similarly, Lehane's emphasis on expanding AI's economic opportunities, rather than limiting potential harms, extends to data centers.

He argues that data centers could create construction jobs and generate tax revenue, but critics contend that this perspective overlooks the potential negative impacts of AI technology.