Newsweek Webinar: How the Politics of AI Could Shape Midterms
Summary
Newsweek analyzed how members of the U.S. Congress view artificial intelligence (AI) ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The study found no clear split between Democrats and Republicans on AI, but differences were seen on specific issues like data centers and lobbying by tech companies.Key Facts
- Newsweek rated all 537 members of Congress on their AI policies across five areas: regulation, energy use, jobs, safety/privacy, and national security.
- Democrats scored an average of 2.60 (leaning skeptical about AI), while Republicans scored 3.26 (leaning supportive).
- Most lawmakers fell in the middle, showing mixed views rather than strong opinions for or against AI.
- A clearer difference appeared on data centers, with Republicans more supportive (average 3.5) than Democrats (average 1.9).
- Tech companies spent $41.8 million lobbying the federal government in early 2026 related to AI and technology.
- Groups connected to AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic contributed over $27 million to a New York Democratic primary.
- Newsweek will hold a webinar on Nov. 10 to discuss how AI issues affected the election and future political actions.
- Experts from academia and political research will participate in the webinar to talk about AI's role in politics.
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