The conversation around artificial-intelligence development, its regulation and the power-hungry data centers that support it has entered the early stages of the 2028 Democratic contest. A recent New York Times-Siena College poll reported that 61 % of respondents oppose new data-center projects, while an SSRS-CNN survey found 71 % believe the federal government is not acting swiftly enough to curb AI growth. These figures illustrate a broad public appetite for stronger oversight as candidates begin to outline their platforms.
Former president Donald Trump has dismissed the concerns, urging the United States to maintain a leading role in AI, a stance echoed by most early Republican contenders. In contrast, Democratic aspirants are largely calling for “guardrails,” with several advocating for a deliberate slowdown in AI deployment until safety standards are established, reflecting a growing partisan divide on the issue.
Vice-president Kamala Harris, who oversaw the Biden administration’s AI risk-assessment efforts, has repeatedly warned about short-term dangers such as disinformation and privacy erosion. On 14 September she renewed calls for tighter federal rules after a wave of executive warnings, positioning herself as a champion of proactive regulation aimed at protecting democratic institutions from AI-driven threats.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has combined promotion of AI innovation with a series of protective measures. His administration requires large firms to disclose best-practice guidelines, extends whistle-blower protections, adds safeguards for minors, and funds a study on employee retention versus automation. In September he signed an executive order urging companies to explore a “kill switch” capability, a direct response to industry executives’ fears that unchecked AI could cause harm.
Other potential nominees have articulated varied approaches. Senator John Shapiro described himself as “not a doomer” while stressing the need for clear regulations, and he signed an August order tightening environmental and energy standards for data centers. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear issued a similar order demanding environmental safeguards before construction. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez labeled AI expansion a “massive economic bubble” and, with Senator Bernie Sanders, introduced legislation to pause data-center builds until Congress enacts comprehensive guardrails. Representative Ro Khanna urged a U.S.,China pact on basic AI safety, likening the competition to “winning a nuclear war,” yet opposed a full moratorium. Finally, former mayor Pete Buttigieg warned that Congress is “sitting on its hands,” calling for a level of imagination comparable to that required during the Great Depression and World War II.
Collectively, these positions suggest that AI policy will be a decisive factor in the upcoming Democratic primary, with candidates balancing the promise of technological leadership against mounting environmental, economic and security concerns. Voter sentiment, as reflected in recent polls, appears to favor stricter oversight, setting the stage for a campaign where AI regulation could become a litmus test for broader competence on emerging technologies.