After the midterms: data centers lose, AI rules look more likely
Follow-up to Saturday Oct 31: No bailout, superintelligence on the SEC list, and the Pope says 'disarm'On Saturday, we saw that a Democratic House would likely move away from a hands-off approach to AI. Now the votes are in. Transformer calls it a 'blue tsunami' and says strong AI legislation now looks much more likely. The Verge's headline: 'Data centers lost the midterms.' Voters picked candidates who favor moratoriums, meaning pauses on new building, and ballot measures that add obstacles. TechCrunch says the opposition crossed party lines.
In Texas, the fastest-growing data center market in the US, Democrat James Talarico won the Senate seat against Ken Paxton, and Gina Hinojosa won the governor's race. MIT Technology Review says Texas's lead may be at risk. AI industry PACs spent millions with mixed results, says TechCrunch. Ars Technica reports Big Tech calls the backlash 'anti-Trump', not 'anti-tech'.
OpenAI already looks ahead. Its policy chief Chris Lehane wants AI to define the 2028 election, with a new 'social contract' that TechCrunch says would also help OpenAI's business. The AI Daily Brief podcast thinks the backlash may bring better deals for local communities, not a stop to building.
AI rules may now come from elected people, not mostly from the companies. The question to follow is who writes them. When a lab works to shape the next election, independent auditors and outside checks matter even more.
