Democratic figures viewed as potential contenders for the 2028 presidential race have markedly increased critical and regulation-focused messaging about artificial intelligence (AI), according to an analysis produced by Upswing for Reset Tech.
What the research measured and the scale of change
Upswing analyzed communications from Jan. 1 through Oct. 15, 2024. The dataset included nearly 30,000 posts on X from 38 accounts tied to 21 potential Democratic contenders, and 3,868 press releases from 16 officeholders.
- Tech-related mentions in posts by the 21 Democrats nearly quadrupled since the start of the year.
- Mentions of tech in press releases almost tripled over the same period.
Which topics and themes rose
Technology is now the second-most common topic in press releases, behind jobs and the economy. Within tech mentions, the most frequent specific issues were data centers and proposals to ban phones in schools.
Which figures increased their AI commentary
The analysis names several Democrats who have ramped up AI commentary in recent months, including Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg and Jon Ossoff.
Policy moves and concrete actions
The shift is not limited to rhetoric. Data-center restrictions have been proposed in both Democratic- and Republican-led states, but New York is so far the only state to pass a moratorium on certain data-center activity. House Democrats drafted a resolution opposing government bailouts for AI companies if the sector experiences a market «bubble» burst. Lawmakers have also introduced a range of proposals, including measures for model transparency and proposed kill switches.
Why this matters now
Rishi Bharwani, U.S. director of Reset Tech, told Axios that Democrats are gaining a meaningful advantage on AI after the issue was initially considered a toss-up between the two parties. He noted that AI regulation has moved from the back burner to the top of the political agenda over the past six months.
While the economy remains voters’ top concern, AI is increasingly part of discussions about markets and the broader macroeconomic environment, raising its political salience.
Voter attitudes and the Republican divide
A September YouGov poll of nearly 1,500 likely voters found broad concern about AI’s potential harms across the political spectrum, and indicated that likely voters trust Democrats more than Republicans to respond to artificial intelligence.
Republicans face tension between a base concerned about AI risks and President Donald Trump’s strong support for the tech industry. GOP officials have varied in their response; for example, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) has been among the most vocal in favor of state-level regulation.
Bottom line
Democrats are coalescing around a more critical stance on AI and pushing regulatory proposals, but whether that positioning will have a significant effect on the 2028 election outcome remains uncertain.
