OpenAI to Launch Policy Initiatives After U.S. Midterm Elections

Huo Xing Cai Jing reports that on November 1, OpenAI plans to immediately launch a series of policy initiatives and public relations efforts following the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, to adapt to potential political shifts in Washington and influence the AI policy debate in the 2028 presidential election. Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, stated that the company has been preparing policy proposals since August and expects to initiate them during the upcoming congressional “lame-duck session” beginning November 9. Specific measures include: advocating for mandatory safety safeguards on advanced AI systems, establishing “speed limits” for AI development to ensure human control; alleviating resistance to data center construction through community agreements and state-level legislative recommendations, and repositioning new data centers as “AI computing hubs”; expanding AI education, training, and workforce support to help workers adapt to technological change; and promoting U.S.-led development of global AI standards grounded in democratic values. Lehane believes AI will become a central issue in the 2028 U.S. presidential election.