As the US midterms approach, AI is going to emerge as a key issue concerning voters

The Trump administration's December executive order, which seeks to limit states' ability to regulate AI by threatening legal action and withholding funds, has intensified a political divide ahead of the US midterms. This move, seen as favoring industry lobbyists over consumer protection, has created a new ideological battleground, despite polls showing strong public support for AI regulation across the country. Prominent figures such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Rashida Tlaib have proposed a moratorium on AI data center construction, while Senator Amy Klobuchar has publicly opposed the Trump order. Within the Republican party, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is emerging as a skeptical voice regarding AI policy. At the local level, a populist resistance is growing in states including Maryland, Arizona, North Carolina, and Michigan. Residents, comprising both progressives and Trump supporters, are vigorously opposing new AI data centers due to concerns over environmental and energy impacts. Some local legislators in Georgia have already enacted moratoriums on data center development within their jurisdictions. This localized opposition suggests a potential for a broader national movement, indicating that data centers are becoming a significant and non-partisan issue for voters, offering an opportunity for political candidates to address AI-linked harms.