OpenAI is already trying to shape the 2028 election

OpenAI's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane has published an essay arguing that the 2028 presidential election will be a defining moment for AI. He urges politicians to develop policies addressing public concerns rather than just reacting to anti-AI sentiment.

• Chris Lehane compared AI's economic impact to Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal.
• Five policy priorities were outlined, spanning worker protections, education, and data center development.
• Policy experts criticized the proposals as a self-serving strategy to benefit OpenAI's business interests.

Lehane calls for a compelling third path that allows citizens to share in AI's benefits. However, critics from organizations like the AI Now Institute point out that many of his proposals primarily encourage wider AI adoption and infrastructure expansion, which directly benefits companies like OpenAI.

The essay also touches on data center expansion, arguing against moratoriums that could jeopardize America's standing against China. While Lehane emphasizes child safety, education, and enforceable safety standards, critics note a disconnect given OpenAI's past opposition to stringent state-level safety bills like California's SB 1047.

These policy moves indicate how AI giants are attempting to preemptively influence political agendas. Whether these frameworks will genuinely empower the middle class or simply entrench corporate market power remains a central question for future technological development.