IT Home On November 3, according to a report by Business Insider on the evening of the 2nd, Chris Lihan, Chief Global Officer of OpenAI and responsible for lobbying, privately told individuals interested in participating in the 2028 U.S. presidential election that AI will become an important issue in the next presidential campaign.
Layhan pointed out in a memo that candidates cannot just prepare a few sets of arguments around election hot topics; they also need to present a complete AI governance concept. He specifically warned Democrats that if they oppose the infrastructure needed for AI development, they may be at a disadvantage in this policy debate.
Leihan believes that the impact of the data center competition may go far beyond local construction projects alone. As the two major parties in the US begin preparing for the next presidential election, OpenAI attempts to influence potential presidential candidates' understanding and public statements on AI.
A person with knowledge revealed that the memo was sent to about six potential candidates, several members of parliament, and well-known political figures.
Layhan argues that candidates should propose a compromise approach to voters, neither allowing the unrestricted development of AI nor giving control of technology to self-proclaimed elite groups.
Leihan also compared the era of AI with the “New Deal” introduced in 1932, believing that the next president has the opportunity to redefine the relationship between “people and a transformative new force that changes their lives.”
In Lehan's view, AI has begun to influence the elections in 2026. Data centers that face public opposition have become a focus of cost concerns, indicating that public worries extend beyond just the construction of these facilities. Rapid technological development also causes anxiety among voters, as they believe the existing social contract has been broken.
However, by 2028, as AI capabilities further improve and the American public becomes more familiar with technology, the situation will also change. Lehan urges candidates to explain to voters how major decisions can still be guided by humans, how taxes should be levied in the AI era, how children can be protected, whether AI can reduce the burden on life, and whether the United States can maintain its technological advantage. “Successful candidateswill not promise to prevent the future from coming, nor will they simply believe that everything will work out fine. They will show Americans how to shape the future and benefit from it.”