The surging construction of AI data centers has become a defining issue in the US midterm election cycle, and a coalition of more than 15 political candidates is now signing onto a new pledge, the AI Pact, to regulate both data centers and the models they power. According to WIRED, the pact is designed to provide "a needed baseline to ensure a humanity-first future" for voters increasingly concerned about environmental damage, secretive project approval, and the growing corporate power of tech companies.
AI Pact targets data center backlash
WIRED reported that the AI Pact is an offshoot of the Political Integrity Project, an anti-money-in-politics group, and was developed by cofounder Daniel Lobo-Lewis and his colleagues through conversations with AI safety groups and political organisations working on AI legislation. The pledge's five promises include three that are publicly specified: mandatory safety reviews for AI models, policies creating an "AI dividend for workers," and legal liability for companies when consumers or companies are harmed by AI models.
Funding for the initiative comes from a progressive political action committee, and Lobo-Lewis said no AI safety groups or tech companies are directly funding it. The current signers are overwhelmingly Democrats — all save Osborn — though Lobo-Lewis stressed that the group would welcome Republican candidates.
The candidates behind the pledge
Among the signers is Dan Osborn, an independent running for the US Senate in Nebraska against Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts. Osborn, a Navy veteran and labor leader, told WIRED that a "hardcore MAGA" voter approached him after a recent town hall and the two found quick agreement on AI and data centers. "Boy, right away, we were in lockstep, 100 percent agreement," Osborn said.
Osborn's position is nuanced: he told WIRED that data centers can bring "a lot of infrastructure and a lot of jobs," but that Congress must step in. "We've got to get this right. Calling a time out right now doesn't seem like a horrible thing," he said.
Other signers have built their campaigns around data center opposition. Representative Justin Pearson, a Tennessee Democrat, rose to national prominence by pushing back against pollution from SpaceX's data centers, according to WIRED. Will Lawrence, a left candidate in Michigan, won a competitive primary in a district with strong local opposition to data centers.
| Candidate | Party | State | Key position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Osborn | Independent | Nebraska | US Senate candidate; supports regulation, open to moratorium |
| Justin Pearson | Democratic | Tennessee | Representative; opposes data center pollution |
| Will Lawrence | Left candidate | Michigan | Won primary in data-center opposition district |
Labor, unions, and the pledge's floor
WIRED reported that the AI Pact does not call for an explicit moratorium on data centers. Instead it calls on candidates to "support policies that would ban tax breaks, backroom deals, and excessive energy usage for data centers." Lobo-Lewis described this measured language as intentional — a "floor" for candidates, especially those with strong ties to organized labor. Several labor unions have recently reaffirmed their support for data center construction, he noted.
"Candidates in swing seats are laser-focused on affordability, creating jobs, and lowering costs. Some of them don't necessarily want to say no to the possibility that a data center project can help with those things. At the same time, AI is expected to be incredibly disruptive unless guardrails are put in place. So is it worth it to create some construction jobs now, at the cost of destroying the opportunities available to other workers in your district?" — Alexander McCoy, progressive strategist, told WIRED
Governors and the shifting politics of data centers
Osborn's position is increasingly common across the political spectrum, according to WIRED. In recent weeks, governors who once championed data center development — including Pennsylvania Democrat Josh Shapiro and Texas Republican Greg Abbott — have taken major steps to reassure voters, the outlet reported, though the specifics of those steps were not detailed.
What the pact means for AI procurement
For enterprise technology decision-makers, the AI Pact's provisions touch on areas that directly affect AI procurement. Mandatory safety reviews and the right to sue over model harms, as described by Lobo-Lewis, would, if enacted, change how AI risk is allocated between vendors and customers. The pledge's position on tax breaks and excessive energy usage for data centers speaks to the cost structure of AI infrastructure. Notably, Lobo-Lewis said no AI safety groups or tech companies are directly funding the initiative, so the pledge is not a vehicle for industry self-interest.
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