US Candidates Sign Pledge for Tougher Data Center and AI Regulation
More than 15 candidates running for office across US states have signed the AI Pact, a pledge promising stronger regulation of data centers and artificial intelligence. The move reflects growing voter anxiety over data centers' environmental and economic impact.
As the US midterm campaign season heats up, more than 15 candidates in states across the country have signed onto the AI Pact, a pledge built around five promises to regulate both data centers and artificial intelligence. One signer, independent Nebraska Senate candidate Dan Osborn, says he's been struck by how quickly even politically opposed voters agree with him on the issue of data centers.
The pact was created by the Political Integrity Project, a group previously focused on money in politics. Cofounder Daniel Lobo-Lewis says the five commitments were developed by consulting with AI safety organizations and other political groups working on AI legislation. The initiative is funded by a progressive political action committee, with no direct funding from tech companies or AI safety groups.
What the pledge asks for
The promises include advocating for mandatory safety reviews of AI models, supporting a worker-focused "AI dividend," and ensuring consumers and businesses can sue over AI-related harms. On data centers specifically, the pact stops short of calling for an outright construction ban, instead asking signers to support policies limiting tax breaks, backroom deals, and excessive energy use tied to data center projects.
Nearly all current signers are Democrats, though organizers say they welcome Republican participation. Some signers, including Tennessee's Justin Pearson and Michigan candidate Will Lawrence, have already built campaigns around opposing data centers and large tech companies.
A broader political shift
Concern over data centers has recently crossed party lines, with Pennsylvania Democratic governor Josh Shapiro and Texas Republican governor Greg Abbott both moving to reassure voters, including Abbott's temporary moratorium on data center construction this month. The White House is separately developing a voluntary AI model safety review process and has discussed a potential worker dividend from AI profits.
Pact organizers argue that federal efforts so far amount to little more than lip service compared to the pledge's stronger commitments. Texas gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, a pact signer, has criticized opponent Abbott's moratorium as insufficient to protect residents.
